march, 1968 - Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
march, 1968 - Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
march, 1968 - Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
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NNSYLVANIA<br />
MARCH, <strong>1968</strong><br />
ceA
SUCKERS<br />
—OR TROUT?<br />
BY MARCH THE WINTER sun is steadily melting away accumulations<br />
of snow <strong>and</strong> ice that have held our streams <strong>and</strong> lakes locked in for<br />
many weeks. As stream floivs increase, the lazy white sucker is stirred to<br />
action <strong>and</strong> begins his annual move up countless small creeks.<br />
The breaking of winters grip <strong>and</strong> the sure knowledge of the good<br />
sucker fishing that awaits the hardy fisherman is a heady spring tonic for<br />
young <strong>and</strong> old alike. Certainly the March icinds often are rate <strong>and</strong> chilling,<br />
but the sun's warm rays are rewarding. Streams are cloudy <strong>and</strong> the<br />
banks are usually muddy <strong>and</strong> disastrously slippery. Firewood is scarce<br />
<strong>and</strong> burns ivith a sputtering hesitancy—but ivho cares if the good old<br />
white sucker is on the move <strong>and</strong> ready to bite.<br />
Few will disagree that a day's early spring sucker fishing is just what a<br />
man needs to get himself set to meet all those springtime chores that<br />
seem to fall due just when the fishing is best.<br />
While the early spring toeeks provide ideal conditions for successful<br />
sucker fishing there is some conflict on many streams where trout are<br />
stocked.<br />
One unfortunate circumstance that conflicts with early spring sucker<br />
fishing is the presence of trout in most of the best sucker waters. By law,<br />
streams stocked with trout are closed to all fishing from midnight March<br />
14 to the opening hour of trout season in mid-April. A simple solution<br />
would be to hold off all trout stocking at least through March. However,<br />
our trucking fleet fust cannot cover the entire state in the remaining time.<br />
And, of course, there are the areas where trout are stocked prior to the<br />
closing period <strong>and</strong> quite readily grab sucker baits fished on the stream<br />
bottom.<br />
Admittedly, we do not have a complete answer to this dilemma so<br />
that early season sucker fishermen can fish where <strong>and</strong> when the catching<br />
is best without becoming hooked to a hungry trout. We are moving each<br />
year toward later trout stocking in more waters <strong>and</strong> are specifically<br />
listing areas for sucker fishing. Our greatest hope is to develop a workable<br />
plan within the next year of opening sucker fishing in the mouths<br />
<strong>and</strong> possibly first several hundred yards of trout streams emptying into<br />
nontrout streams <strong>and</strong> lakes.<br />
Such a plan, when finalized <strong>and</strong> put into effect, is going to do much<br />
for <strong>Pennsylvania</strong>'s fishermen—but is going to require a lot of cooperation<br />
<strong>and</strong> forbearance from sucker <strong>and</strong> trout advocates alike.<br />
—Robert J. Bielo, Executive Director
CALIFORNIA FAN<br />
Gentlemen,<br />
One of my customers brought me one of your magazines<br />
which I enjoyed very much. In fact, I must have it to read<br />
myself <strong>and</strong> for my customers to look at when they come in<br />
to tell those "whoppers."<br />
We have formed a fly club here. It's called The Wilderness<br />
Fly <strong>Fish</strong>ers <strong>and</strong> it's a full family club with men,<br />
women <strong>and</strong> juniors all enjoying it very much. After two<br />
years we have a membership of over 100 adults <strong>and</strong> around<br />
20 juniors. I teach fly casting each Sunday at the Santa<br />
Monica Casting pool, <strong>and</strong> we have a lot of response. We<br />
also hold two fly tying classes a month, both of which are<br />
well attended . . .<br />
... all of us admire the excellent job your commission<br />
has done in your state. We are trying to get California to<br />
set aside more sections of streams for fly fishing only <strong>and</strong><br />
we are having some small success <strong>and</strong> hope for more.<br />
More succses to you!<br />
Cliff Wyatt<br />
Wilderness Shop<br />
Santa Monica, California<br />
Why not buy those valued customers some subscriptions<br />
to <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> Angler? Then they'll be sure of seeing it<br />
every month! And it only costs two bucks a subscription.<br />
"I suppose you'll want to go home now!"<br />
MARCH —<strong>1968</strong><br />
CATFISH CATCHER<br />
Hello!<br />
Early last fall I was fortunate enough to catch a few<br />
nice channel cats from the North Branch of the Susquehanna<br />
near Danville.<br />
The two biggest were quite large in comparison to any<br />
I had caught in previous years with one nearly 34 inches<br />
<strong>and</strong> the other 30K inches. Since they were of citation size<br />
I took them to the home of District <strong>Fish</strong> Warden Robert<br />
Perry in Bloomsburg who measured both <strong>and</strong> filled out a<br />
<strong>Fish</strong>ing Citation form. The 34 inch cat was dead for 7<br />
or 8 hours before I was able to find Warden Perry at home<br />
<strong>and</strong> the tail fin had dried <strong>and</strong> curled, as well as the fish's<br />
body, but Mr. Perry's rule showed the fish to be 33 inches.<br />
This fish weighed 16 pounds. The other was caught a week<br />
later, measured 30/2 inches <strong>and</strong> weighed 15 pounds, this<br />
one being a plump female.<br />
Several weeks later Mr. Perry was kind enough to deliver<br />
to me at my home a "<strong>Pennsylvania</strong> Angler Citation<br />
for each catch—these will be treasured mementoes for me<br />
<strong>and</strong> were really appreciated. In fact I hope to collect more<br />
of these for different species <strong>and</strong> I think it is a wonderful<br />
idea.<br />
Incidentally, if all the fish wardens in <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> are<br />
as hard working <strong>and</strong> devoted to duty as is Mr. Perry the<br />
fishing situation in <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> cannot help but improve<br />
each year. Too often we think of "the warden" as someone<br />
responsible for punishing us if we violate the fish laws <strong>and</strong><br />
we do not realize the many other functions of his office.<br />
Mr. Perry has conducted many "fishing classes or clinics"<br />
in our area, which were certainly appreciated by all those<br />
attending. These in addition to stocking fish, patrolling<br />
streams <strong>and</strong> lakes, checking licenses <strong>and</strong> fishing procedures,<br />
delivering "citations," etc., keep him very busy. Here is<br />
one fisherman who would like to say "thanks" to Warden<br />
Perry <strong>and</strong> all like him in the state.<br />
Now then, I have a little gripe. The two fish I previously<br />
mentioned were pictured in the December issue of the<br />
Angler. It was a pleasant surprise to me that you chose to<br />
print this picture, however, you inadvertently gave the<br />
lengths of the fish as 30 <strong>and</strong> 30)z inches when they were<br />
33 <strong>and</strong> 30M inches.<br />
Never, never, never shorten a fisherman's fish even by a<br />
fraction of an inch. This is practically an insult to my<br />
piscatorial integrity. It took me an hour <strong>and</strong> a half to l<strong>and</strong><br />
this 16 pound catfish, but I spent days telling anyone who<br />
would listen about the 33 inch catfish I had caught. Then,<br />
lo <strong>and</strong> behold, in print for the whole world to see, you<br />
give the length of my fish as 30 inches. Oh, the shame of<br />
it all!<br />
Seriously, I would appreciate it if you could find a little<br />
space to correct this in print. I have enclosed a picture of<br />
die fish if you deem it worthy of using.<br />
Thanks for the many, many hours of pleasure that I have<br />
received from the pages of the "<strong>Pennsylvania</strong> Angler."<br />
continued on page 3<br />
1
DIRECTORY<br />
EXECUTIVE OFFICE<br />
Box 1673—Harrisburg, Pa. 17120<br />
ROBERT J. BIELO<br />
Executive Director<br />
GORDON L. TREMBLEY<br />
Assistant Executive Director<br />
<strong>Fish</strong>eries<br />
EDWARD R. THARP<br />
Assistant Executive Director<br />
Watercraft Safety<br />
WARREN W. SINGER<br />
Assistant to Executive Director<br />
RALPH PUTT<br />
Administrative Secretary<br />
JOHN M. SMITH<br />
Comptroller<br />
•<br />
DIVISIONS<br />
FISHERIES<br />
R.D. 1, Box 200 C, Bellefonte 16823<br />
KEEN BUSS, Chief<br />
ARTHUR BRADFORD<br />
Assistant Chief, Research Section<br />
KENNETH CORL<br />
Assistant Chief, Trout Production<br />
SHYRL HOOD<br />
Assistant Chief, Warmwater Production<br />
Hatchery Superintendents<br />
BELLEFONTE—George Magargel<br />
BENNER SPRINGS RESEARCH STA<br />
TION—Ray McCreary, production unit<br />
CORRY, UNION CITY—LeRoy Sorenson<br />
HUNTSDALE—Ted Dingle Jr., acting superintendent<br />
LIN ESVILLE—Robert Smith, foreman<br />
REYNOLDSDALE—Warren Hammer<br />
TIONESTA—Albert Carll, foreman<br />
PLEASANT MOUNT—Charles H. S<strong>and</strong>erson,<br />
superintendent<br />
Cooperative Nursery Program<br />
ROBERT H. BROWN, coordinator<br />
ENGINEERING<br />
R.D. 3, Bellefonte 16823<br />
EDWARD MILLER, Chief<br />
REAL ESTATE<br />
Box 1673, Harrisburg 17120<br />
PAUL O'BRIEN, Chief<br />
PUBLIC RELATIONS<br />
Box 1673, Harrisburg 17120<br />
GEORCE FORREST, Chief<br />
LAW ENFORCEMENT<br />
Box 1673, Harrisburg 17120<br />
HAROLD CORBIN, Chief<br />
Warden Supervisors<br />
Region One LEE F. SHORTEES<br />
Phone: 814-755-8811 Tionesta 16353<br />
Region Two JOHN I. BUCK<br />
Phone: 814-445-4913 Somerset 15501<br />
Region Three CLAIR FLEECER<br />
Phone: 717-477-6611 . . Sweet Valley 18656<br />
Region Four MILES WITT<br />
Phone: 717-273-2601, Ex. 86, Annville 17003<br />
H. R. Stackhouse Training School<br />
PAUL ANTOLOSKY, superintendent<br />
Phone: 814-355-9681 .... Bellefonte 16823<br />
PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER<br />
Published Monthly by the<br />
PENNSYLVANIA FISH COMMISSION<br />
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA<br />
Raymond P. Shafer, Governor<br />
•<br />
PENNSYLVANIA FISH COMMISSION<br />
HOWARD R. HEINY, President Williamsport<br />
DOUGLAS McWILLIAMS, Vice President Bear Gap<br />
GERARD J. ADAMS Hawley FRANK E. MASLAND, JR. . . Carlisle<br />
WALLACE C. DEAN .... Meadville ROBERT M. RANKIN Galeton<br />
CLARENCE DIETZ Bedford R. STANLEY SMITH . . Waynesburg<br />
RAYMOND M. WILLIAMS East Bangor<br />
PENNSYLVANIA'S OFFICIAL FISHING AND BOATING MAGAZINE<br />
MARCH, <strong>1968</strong><br />
IN THIS ISSUE . . .<br />
1 LEAKY BOOTS—Letters<br />
4 SPRING SUCKER SEASON—Don Shiner<br />
7 LEAVE THE DISHES—Pat Eisenhart<br />
8 KINZUA BOAT HEGIRA—Thad Bukowski<br />
10 MODERN CAMPING—Del <strong>and</strong> Lois Kerr<br />
11 OIL MOON OVER PITHOLE—Steve Szalewicz<br />
12 CITATIONS FROM '67—Tom Eggler<br />
14 BUSY SEASON!—Shyrl Hood<br />
16 TROUT ON A PULLMAN—Porter Duvall<br />
18 BOATING—Robert G. Miller<br />
24 STREAM NOTES—The Warden Staff<br />
29 THE BLOND BOMBER—Paul Clark<br />
30 FISH TALES—<strong>Pennsylvania</strong>'s <strong>Fish</strong>ermen<br />
32<br />
CASTING WITH THE CO-OPS—Bill Porter<br />
Cover Art—Ron Jenkins<br />
D. THOMAS EGGLER, EDITOR<br />
VOL. 37, NO. 3<br />
POSTMASTER: All 3579 forms to be returned to The Haddon Craftsmen, Inc.,<br />
1001 Wyoming Ave., Scranton, Pa. 18509.<br />
The PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER is published monthly by the <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> <strong>Fish</strong> <strong>Commission</strong>,<br />
South Office Building, Harrisburg, Pa. Subscription: One year—$2.00; three years—$5.00; 25 cents<br />
per single copy. Send check or money order payable to <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> <strong>Fish</strong> <strong>Commission</strong>. DO NOT<br />
SEND STAMPS. Individuals sending cash do so at their own risk. Change of address should reach<br />
us promptly. Furnish both old <strong>and</strong> new addresses. Second Class Postage paid at Harrisbitrg, Pa., or<br />
additional mailing offices. Neither Publisher nor Editor will assume responsibility for unsolicited<br />
manuscripts or illustrations while in their possession or in transit. Permission to reprint will be<br />
given provided we receive marked copies <strong>and</strong> credit is given material or illustrations. Communications<br />
pertaining to manuscripts, material or il'ustrations should be addressed to the <strong>Pennsylvania</strong><br />
<strong>Fish</strong> <strong>Commission</strong>, Harrisburg, Pa. NOTICF: Subscriptions received <strong>and</strong> processed the 10th of each<br />
month will begin with the second month following.
LEAKY BOOTS<br />
continued from page 1<br />
The only way you could improve it would be to add many<br />
more pages.<br />
Forgive me for rambling on.<br />
Ralph Oberdorf, Danville<br />
We'll forgive you for rambling on if you'll forgive us for<br />
cutting three inches off that fine trophy catfish. And just<br />
to show how nice it is we'll run it in our <strong>Fish</strong> Tales section<br />
in a coming issue.<br />
POKER PLAYERS PRORLEM<br />
In your January issue of the Angler I enjoyed your<br />
"High-Larious <strong>Fish</strong>ing" by Helen Highwater, although<br />
most of those jokes have long before grown beards. However,<br />
someone deosn't know much about poker.<br />
Referring to page 28 where Fred was proud of his two<br />
pair, "Kings <strong>and</strong> Queens" <strong>and</strong> she had two pair too—<br />
two pair of Jacks.<br />
This is not possible, as in five card stud he would have<br />
known he was beaten <strong>and</strong> had no reason to be proud of<br />
"Kings <strong>and</strong> Queens" as she would have had to have three<br />
Jacks showing on the table to have two pair of Jacks in five<br />
card stud.<br />
In other words her "High-Larious" line of reasoning did<br />
not fit the plot of things. If she had called the game seven<br />
card stud then everything would have fit. As stated, it<br />
doesn't.<br />
... I really enjoy the Angler.<br />
Charles E. Marks, Carlisle<br />
We don't play poker <strong>and</strong> Helen Highwater is in California<br />
so we can't ask her. Therefore we'll have to leave it<br />
up to other Angler reader poker players to decide whether<br />
you're right or wrong.<br />
FINE FISHING<br />
Dear Sirs,<br />
Since my subscription to the Angler expires in February<br />
I find myself thinking about past <strong>and</strong> future fishing. I have<br />
a close friend in Berwick who doesn't believe the story attached<br />
to the enclosed picture although I have told <strong>and</strong><br />
retold it to him many times. He is a great conservationist<br />
in action <strong>and</strong> thought, so perhaps he feels that the fish<br />
before my five year old boy (who is now nine <strong>and</strong> an<br />
ardent fisherman) went to waste. They did not!<br />
I grew up on Ohio's Lake Erie in the 1930's <strong>and</strong> enjoyed<br />
the finest smallmouth bass fishing any man or boy could<br />
experience. However, two hours on the Delaware River<br />
one morning in July 1963 between the hours of 5 to 7 a.m.,<br />
gave this writer the utmost in smallmouth bass fishing.<br />
The six bass represent a small percentage of additional fish<br />
caught <strong>and</strong> released <strong>and</strong> the smile on my son's face is only<br />
a flicker of my enjoyment at the time <strong>and</strong> a small portion<br />
of the memory I so dearly cherish.<br />
Enclosed is my check for two more years of your<br />
magazine. <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> has fine fishing!<br />
John Brewer, Saint Davids.<br />
MARCH —<strong>1968</strong><br />
Young Brewer with catch<br />
DECEMRER PICTURE<br />
Gentlemen,<br />
. . . that picture inside front cover of the December<br />
issue of the <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> Angler strikes a responsive note.<br />
We are indebted to a certain Bob Brown for his interest in<br />
us as well as his good photography. However, we would<br />
appreciate some recognition for such a good picture.<br />
A caption could have identified the youngsters as Terry<br />
Wood of Fort Louden with an 18 inch rainbow trout <strong>and</strong><br />
the curious little girl as Tina Wood also of Fort Louden.<br />
This splendid trout was caught by young Wood last May<br />
on a Sunday during the annual rodeo held by the Mercers-<br />
continued on page 28<br />
"For the fifth <strong>and</strong> last time, you can not play poker with<br />
the boys tonight."<br />
3
y<br />
DON<br />
SHINER<br />
A<br />
NEW<br />
SEASON<br />
BEGINS<br />
WITH...<br />
A PEEK into an early<br />
spring setting shows fishermen<br />
lining banks in<br />
quest of suckers.<br />
PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER
HERE'S a d<strong>and</strong>y for the pan.<br />
SPRING<br />
SUCKER<br />
SEASON<br />
AFTER A LONG WINTER'S PAUSE in streamside activities<br />
it's good to get outdoors in late February or March<br />
when the first hint of warmer weather is in the air. Already<br />
traces of spring are to be found. Furry catkins of pussy<br />
willows are beginning to unfold. Flocks of geese are seen<br />
winging northward. Spathes of early skunk cabbage poke<br />
through leaf mulch in marshes. But the foremost harbinger<br />
of spring, one that coincides with the strong urge<br />
to unwind fishing gear, is the crowd of anglers lining river<br />
banks everywhere in <strong>Pennsylvania</strong>. The last chunk of ice<br />
barely pushes from shore when early-bird fishermen move<br />
in to catch suckers. These early fishermen find fish hungry<br />
<strong>and</strong> have little trouble hauling in big strings of suckers.<br />
You may know blubber-lips as the May sucker, or white<br />
sucker, or by another name such as buffalofish, quillback<br />
or just plain 'ole sucker.' Whatever the h<strong>and</strong>le, this family<br />
comprises a large number of fresh water fish which are<br />
characterized by a mouth located beneath the snout <strong>and</strong><br />
surrounded by large fleshy lips. They are adapted for<br />
sucking in diatoms, algae <strong>and</strong> protein material from rocks<br />
<strong>and</strong> stream bottom. Most attain a length of less than<br />
20-inches, though a few, namely the buffalo <strong>and</strong> redhorse<br />
grow beyond 24 to 28-inches. Most are dark brown to<br />
olive over the back, covered with silver scales on the sides,<br />
<strong>and</strong> have a white underside.<br />
Almost a hundred species of suckers are known. Most<br />
are found in North America, <strong>and</strong> almost all of them are<br />
spring spawners. It is during this spring spawning run that<br />
most are caught by fishermen. Flesh is firm <strong>and</strong> sweet at<br />
this time of year offering some of the best fish dinners<br />
of the year.<br />
It is traditional with most fishermen to gather on banks<br />
to angle for suckers as soon as there is open water. They<br />
haul out a variety of gear—old fly rods, spinning <strong>and</strong> spincasting<br />
equipment <strong>and</strong> simple h<strong>and</strong>lines—<strong>and</strong> use heavy<br />
sinkers to anchor baits on bottom. Despite the fact that<br />
water is often roiled, old blubber lips moves in quickly<br />
to nudge lines.<br />
Those who have a mind for comfort while waiting for<br />
the suckers to bite usually include camp stools or folding<br />
lawn chairs. Some also tote gas-type camp stoves or<br />
portable charcoal grills to the river bank to boil pots of<br />
coffee or prepare a full course meal. Lacking these, small<br />
fires are often built on shore with whatever driftwood is<br />
available. With a log seat rolled up between the fire <strong>and</strong><br />
the fishing lines, any chill in the air is quickly melted<br />
away. When old blubber-lips moves about <strong>and</strong> finds the<br />
bait, a fisherman is kept busy tending lines <strong>and</strong> keeping<br />
the smoking fire going at the same time.<br />
Fresh panfried spring suckers are a real treat. Most<br />
continued on page 6<br />
MARCH —1 968 5
SPRING SUCKER SEASON<br />
THERE ARE nearly 100 types of suckers, most of which are<br />
found in North America. All have large fleshy lips on the under<br />
side of the snout.<br />
early fishermen will attest to this fact. Later, as weather<br />
<strong>and</strong> water warm, flesh turns soft <strong>and</strong> tastes of s<strong>and</strong>. Small<br />
bones in the meat give only a tiny annoyance.<br />
Grab your gear now. Get back into fishing by digging<br />
worms <strong>and</strong> baiting lines for this early sport. Having caught<br />
a mess of suckers, fix them for the table by following any<br />
one of the following recipes. Everything considered, spring<br />
suckers have a lot going in their favor. They offer a good<br />
way to get in tune with the new season.<br />
Recipes<br />
Steamed Sucker<br />
Select thick slices of freshly caught suckeis. Wipe with<br />
damp cloth. Season with salt <strong>and</strong> pepper. Place in steamer.<br />
Steam 40 to 45-minutes until tender. Serve at once with<br />
any desired sauce.<br />
Broiled Sucker<br />
Small suckers may be broiled whole. Heads <strong>and</strong> tails<br />
are removed <strong>and</strong> fish otherwise cleaned for the pan. Large<br />
fish may be cut into fillets. Season with salt <strong>and</strong> pepper.<br />
Rub with melted fat or bacon drippings. Broil, turning frequently<br />
until golden brown in color. Serve at once.<br />
6<br />
Baked Sucker<br />
Large spring caught suckers are delicious when baked.<br />
Sprinkle with salt <strong>and</strong> pepper. Stuff with any well seasoned<br />
dressing. Pack dressing lightly. Sew loosely. Sprinkle witii<br />
salt <strong>and</strong> pepper. Lay strips of bacon across top of fish.<br />
Place on baking sheet. Bake in moderate oven (440°) allowing<br />
15-minutes per pound. Baste frequently with<br />
two tablespoons of butter or butter substitute combined<br />
with X cup hot water. Garnish with slices of lemon, parsley<br />
<strong>and</strong> ripe olives if available.<br />
Pan Fried Sucker<br />
If suckers are small in size, use them whole, with head<br />
<strong>and</strong> tail removed <strong>and</strong> otherwise cleaned for the pan. If<br />
larger suckers are used, fillet them. Season with salt <strong>and</strong><br />
hot pepper. Roll in corn-meal. Fry in small quantity of hot<br />
fat until crisp <strong>and</strong> brown.<br />
Sucker Au Beurre Noir<br />
2 average size trout or suckers<br />
1 teaspoon fresh, chopped tarragon leaves<br />
Js teaspoon finely chopped lemon<br />
Vi teaspoon finely chopped rosemary leaves<br />
1 teaspoon herb vinegar<br />
2 tablespoons butter<br />
salt <strong>and</strong> pepper<br />
1 teaspoon lemon juice<br />
Mix the herbs with vinegar <strong>and</strong> put half in each freshly<br />
caught sucker. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in skillet, sprinkle<br />
sucker lightly with salt <strong>and</strong> pepper, <strong>and</strong> saute, turning frequently,<br />
to brown both sides. Remove fish from skillet.<br />
Heat second tablespoon butter in a pan, stirring constantly<br />
until butter is brown. Do not let burn. Add lemon juice<br />
<strong>and</strong> pour over each sucker or trout. Serves 2.<br />
THERE'S PLENTY of action to make everyone forget about<br />
the chill in the air.<br />
PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER
More <strong>Pennsylvania</strong><br />
women follow "father"<br />
into the field each year,<br />
enjoying "his" sport <strong>and</strong><br />
catching "his" fish. For<br />
some pursuit of the new<br />
sport comes easy; for<br />
others it takes some<br />
doing. Mother—<strong>and</strong><br />
fisherwoman—Pat<br />
Eisenhart tells Angler<br />
readers about some of<br />
her fishing experiences<br />
<strong>and</strong> gives the ladies a<br />
little advice which<br />
poppa may not enjoy.<br />
leave<br />
the<br />
dishes<br />
in the<br />
SINK<br />
GIRLS<br />
THIS STORY IS FOR WOMEN so put the book<br />
down, call the wife away from her work <strong>and</strong> let her relax<br />
for a few minutes. <strong>Fish</strong>ing season is drawing near <strong>and</strong><br />
before she becomes a fishing widow again I have a story<br />
I would like to tell her.<br />
I am not a good fisherman, or woman in this case; in fact,<br />
if the truth be known, I often think of myself—<strong>and</strong> am<br />
thought of—as being the worst. I've had the best teacher<br />
possible, a man with the patience of Job, the stamina of a<br />
workhorse, the talent of a Jason Lucas, <strong>and</strong> the sense of<br />
humor of a Corey Ford. Being married to him helped.<br />
He has taken an untalented young girl <strong>and</strong> after ten<br />
years of careful tutoring transformed her into an untalented<br />
young woman. They say that anything improves<br />
with age but in my case I went from bad to worse. In the<br />
beginning I could be excused for mistakes for I was a<br />
novice, but after ten years, my friends expect perfection<br />
<strong>and</strong> the dismay clearly shows on their faces combined with<br />
the silent pity for my dear husb<strong>and</strong>. His friends wonder<br />
why he puts up with me <strong>and</strong> I can't say I blame them.<br />
Let me tell you about some of the mistakes I make.<br />
When I am fly fishing with a fly rod, I'm fairly good.<br />
Snarls <strong>and</strong> tangles don't annoy me, in fact, I rarely get them.<br />
I can roll cast with the best of them <strong>and</strong> dry fly fishing is a<br />
breeze. BUT, give me a bubble, flies <strong>and</strong> a spinning rod<br />
<strong>and</strong> I suffer a persecution complex <strong>and</strong> acute paranoia sets<br />
in. I feel that the world, the fish <strong>and</strong> especially the rod<br />
<strong>and</strong> reel are against me. Perhaps it could be because I<br />
don't especially care for trout fishing. I know that many<br />
ardent fly fishermen are right now reading this <strong>and</strong> thinking<br />
"some nut must be writing this." But I like to surface<br />
fish. True you can dry fly fish but it's not nearly so exciting<br />
as seeing the wake of a pickerel as he comes from the<br />
nearby weeds, or to have a largemouth bass slash your<br />
jitterbug as it hits the water. To me that's fishing!<br />
MARCH—<strong>1968</strong><br />
continued on page 23<br />
by PAT EISENHART
ABOAT ON<br />
THE ALLEGHENY<br />
Although March may be a little early for prolonged boating trips, <strong>Pennsylvania</strong><br />
boaters should be interested in a spring trip made in northwestern <strong>Pennsylvania</strong><br />
from Franklin upriver to the Kinzua Dam <strong>and</strong> back. As soon as the weather<br />
warms a few degrees <strong>and</strong> often before the leaves are on the trees one group<br />
gets a day's taste of the outdoors.<br />
PART OF BOAT HEGIRA steaming past one of a half dozen bridges which cross the Allegheny along the trip. Bridges passed<br />
were those at Franklin, Oil City, Hunter's, Tionesta, West Hickory, Tidioute, Youngsville, <strong>and</strong> Warren. Gas refills were only available<br />
at the Tidioute Bridge for the 100 mile (one way) trip.<br />
VIRGIL SCHWIMMER, chairman of boating for the Northwest<br />
Division of the <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs,<br />
<strong>and</strong> Norman Sickles, public relations representative of the <strong>Pennsylvania</strong><br />
<strong>Fish</strong> <strong>Commission</strong>, talk over preparations as the group<br />
prepares to depart. Schwimmer planned <strong>and</strong> organized the trip.<br />
KINZUA<br />
BOAT<br />
HEGIRA<br />
THE ALLEGHENY RIVER between Franklin <strong>and</strong> the<br />
Kinzua Dam provides a group of Northwestern <strong>Pennsylvania</strong><br />
boaters with a one way near 100-mile thrill every<br />
spring.<br />
When the river hits the correct stage boaters are usually<br />
hankering for a "no holds barred" journey. They get it on<br />
the Allegheny between Franklin upriver to the giant walls<br />
of the 180 foot high Kinzua Dam.<br />
<strong>Boat</strong>ers of the Northwest Division, <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> Federation<br />
of Sportsmen's Clubs made such a trip during the past<br />
spring. The trip at this time of year interferes with no<br />
other river activity.<br />
The excellent boating access site at Franklin served as<br />
the starting point.<br />
Virgil Schwimmer, boating chairman for the Northwest<br />
Division of the <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> Federation of Sportsmen's<br />
Clubs, planned the 14 boat hegira last April. Most boats<br />
by THAD BUKOWSKI<br />
8 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER
were geared with 75 or 100 horsepower motors but even<br />
40s came along.<br />
Full throtde travel up the big Allegheny means about 36<br />
miles per hour according to some of the experienced<br />
boaters. If one is unaccustomed to that type of boating he<br />
must admit to a bouncing <strong>and</strong> exhilarating thrill.<br />
The accompanying countryside shows hogbacks of hardwoods<br />
<strong>and</strong> hemlocks, giving the Allegheny of this area a<br />
"Wilderness River" aspect. Cabins line the banks at many<br />
places but some of the stretches of the river are shorn of<br />
civilization. One can "get lost" on it during the summer<br />
also with a drifting canoe or boat, a pack, frying pan <strong>and</strong><br />
fishing tackle if he has time on his h<strong>and</strong>s. Enough fish for<br />
the pan can be caught to keep boater-fishermen happy.<br />
The Tidioute to Warren area has isl<strong>and</strong>s usable for<br />
camping <strong>and</strong> our boat group weaved through these without<br />
incident. Only one motor breakdown interrupted the<br />
trip somewhat <strong>and</strong> scattered the boats.<br />
Travel by boat with wide open throttle from Franklin<br />
to Kinzua takes at least four hours. The group left at<br />
10 a.m., had a picnic rendezvous at Kinzua at 2, <strong>and</strong> returned<br />
again to Franklin at 6:30 in the evening.<br />
The Allegheny is a pleasurable trip for any <strong>Pennsylvania</strong><br />
boater . . . provided he has enough stamina to sit for eight<br />
hours enjoying the passing river countryside <strong>and</strong> enough<br />
gas for the engine. All he has to do is to head for Franklin<br />
in the spring, launch his boat <strong>and</strong> head upriver.<br />
However, boaters should check river stages <strong>and</strong> weather<br />
forecasts before the start of such a trip.<br />
MARCH—<strong>1968</strong><br />
TRIP TOOK boaters through towns of Oil City <strong>and</strong> Warren.<br />
Shown above is a section of Warren. Below is scene of the<br />
Franklin boating access <strong>and</strong> parking area where the tour began.<br />
f<br />
FINAL DESTINATION <strong>and</strong> turn around point for the trip<br />
was the Kinzua Dam, about 100 miles upstream. The boaters<br />
stopped here for a mid-day lunch before making the return run<br />
downstream. It took approximately four hours to make the run.
MODERN<br />
CAMPING<br />
FISHING SEASON<br />
NOT TOO MANY YEARS AGO, opening of trout season<br />
climaxed weeks of preparation if camping was involved.<br />
Tents had to be rewaxed <strong>and</strong> patched, wooden cots repaired<br />
<strong>and</strong> more often than not, hours were spent reshaping<br />
smokepipes for woodburning stoves.<br />
Today's camper with modern trouble-free equipment is<br />
ready to go "at the drop of a hat." His concern is not<br />
equipment or even a place to stay.<br />
Although state parks also open their camping season<br />
April 15, the trend over the last several years has been to<br />
utilize private areas. It's no accident that campground<br />
owners in trout country plan their opening to accommodate<br />
fishermen. Anglers have readily learned to appreciate<br />
the luxury of electrical facilities, especially in the<br />
chill of early spring.<br />
Located in Blair County near such popular trout streams<br />
as Bald Eagle Creek, Big Fill Run <strong>and</strong> others, Bald Eagle<br />
Campsite offers the early-season angler excellent accommodations.<br />
Situated four miles north of Tyrone on Route<br />
220, the area contains just ten sites, but reservations will<br />
insure camping space. There is no charge for electricity.<br />
As an added bonus, Bald Eagle Creek flows directly<br />
through the property. Write: R.D. #3, Box 230, Tyrone,<br />
Pa. 16686.<br />
In the high mountain country of Potter County, Deer<br />
Lick Camping Area provides just about the finest facilities<br />
10<br />
"DEAR, SHALL I OPEN THE SARDINES FOR SUPPER?"<br />
DEL & LOIS<br />
KERR<br />
found anywhere. Four miles southeast of Coudersport on<br />
Route 872, the 50-site area is centrally located to over 700<br />
miles of mountain trout streams including Oswayo Creek,<br />
Big Moores Run, Cross Fork Creek, headwaters of the<br />
Allegheny River <strong>and</strong> many others. Write: Box 29, Coudersport,<br />
Pa. 16915.<br />
Stony Fork Creek Camping Grounds (R.D. #5, Wellsboro,<br />
Pa., 16901) lies just south of the famed <strong>Pennsylvania</strong><br />
Gr<strong>and</strong> Canyon <strong>and</strong> near popular Pine Creek, long noted<br />
for its elusive rainbows <strong>and</strong> browns.<br />
Campers are just discovering Hecla Park, a new spot,<br />
which recently opened in the Nittany Mountain section<br />
between Bellefonte (home of <strong>Fish</strong>ermen's Paradise) <strong>and</strong><br />
Lock Haven on Route 64. Fine streams are found nearby<br />
including Big <strong>Fish</strong>ing Creek, one of the top trout waters<br />
in the state. The area contains 20 sites, fishing on the<br />
property <strong>and</strong> full facilities. Write: Box 47 Mingoville<br />
Pa. 16856.<br />
Anglers frequenting the Williamsport region may wish<br />
to try Haleeka Trailer Camp, four miles south of Trout<br />
Run on Route 15. Open all year, the 50-site campground<br />
has adequate facilities for cold weather camping. Address<br />
inquiries to: R.D #1, Cogan Station, Pa. 17728.<br />
Headwaters of the Delaware is a favorite of many devoted<br />
trout fishermen. Twin Falls Campground, located<br />
on the <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> side of Hancock, New York, contains<br />
two campgrounds, one of which lies directly on the shore.<br />
Open all year, the area offers a heated shelter as well as<br />
complete facilities. Write: Winterdale Road, <strong>Pennsylvania</strong><br />
Side, Hancock, N.Y. 13783.<br />
In the southern portion of the state, West Branch of<br />
Br<strong>and</strong>ywine Creek is growing in popularity among trout<br />
enthusiasts. The stream flows through the property of<br />
Br<strong>and</strong>ywine Meadows. Also open all year, the campground<br />
contains 150 sites <strong>and</strong> all conveniences for cold<br />
weather camping. The area is located three miles southeast<br />
of Honey Brook in Chester County. For information write:<br />
Honey Brook, Pa. 19344.<br />
The above private campgrounds are only a small representation<br />
of organized camping areas throughout the state.<br />
For a complete listing, write the Campground Association<br />
of <strong>Pennsylvania</strong>, Mercer, Pa. 16137.<br />
Often, top trout fishing is found in state park lakes <strong>and</strong><br />
in creeks feeding flood control reservoirs. While camping<br />
is usually available at the site, private campgrounds with<br />
modern facilities are almost always nearby. Parker Dam<br />
State Park, Chapman Dam State Park <strong>and</strong> Youghiogheny<br />
Reservoir are just a few outst<strong>and</strong>ing examples.<br />
Each season brings a host of new camping areas. It may<br />
be wise to first select where you want to fish, then write<br />
the nearest Chamber of Commerce or Tourist Promotion<br />
Agency for camping information in their district. You may<br />
find you have quite a wide choice of campgrounds!<br />
PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER
OIL BOOM days found wooden<br />
derrick after wooden derrick<br />
spring up throughout the "oil<br />
country" as shown here in this<br />
old photograph taken in John<br />
Benninghoff Run <strong>and</strong> Oil Creek<br />
in 1865.<br />
PART THREE<br />
OIL<br />
MOON<br />
OVER PITHOLE<br />
During parts one <strong>and</strong> two of "Oil Moon" farm wife Annie<br />
Shultz, peddler Abraham Shalof, oilman Alfred G. Smiley,<br />
printer Tom Dunn <strong>and</strong> outlaw George Croyle watched the<br />
sky over Pithole turn red with fire, Annie Shultz was<br />
headed from the house to the barn where her husb<strong>and</strong><br />
tended a new calf when she saw the glow; Peddler Shalof<br />
headed toward Pithole City with his pack <strong>and</strong> visions of<br />
new profits when outlaw Croyle waylaid him at Tight<br />
Pinch Pass, rummaging through his pack missing a h<strong>and</strong>ful<br />
of diamonds concealed in the h<strong>and</strong>le of the peddler's bell;<br />
Tom Dunn found the peddler there <strong>and</strong> carried him the<br />
rest of the way into Pithole where he was treated at the<br />
hotel Morey House; <strong>and</strong> oilman Smiley safely made his<br />
way through the night with $100,000.<br />
Tom Dunn has left the peddler <strong>and</strong> the Morey House to<br />
"see" the fire <strong>and</strong> look for newspaperman Lee A. Morton<br />
for whom he hopes to work.<br />
We begin this month just after the fire is noticed by publisher<br />
Morton <strong>and</strong> his "staff." Soon Pithole is to come even<br />
more alive with new prospects of even more wealth!<br />
CHAPTER NINE<br />
LEE A. MORTON was not a driving taskmaster. So that<br />
was not why Justin Richards sat down as soon as the editor<br />
hurried out to see what was burning in the next block of Holmden<br />
Street. Justin Richards wasn't the kind of man who began<br />
to slow up on his work as soon as the boss left. He was a tired<br />
man.<br />
Shadrach Bolden, Morton's runty rascal, shouted the first<br />
alarm up the stairs to the second floor of a shaky, narrow,<br />
barnlike structure called "The Office of The Pithole Daily<br />
Record." The bow-legged Shadrach was returning from the<br />
Chase House across the street where he had picked up a revised<br />
list of new guests who had registered at the hotel during<br />
the day. Each issue of The Record carried a "Registry of<br />
Important Persons Arriving" at all the hotels of Pithole.<br />
At the instant that Shadrach had shouted, "Fire up the<br />
street! Mistuh Morton!" Justin Richards <strong>and</strong> John Kelly,<br />
printers, had become aware that a strong red light had over<br />
STEVE<br />
SZALEWICZ<br />
come the yellow gas-jets illuminating the type cases <strong>and</strong> the<br />
office. The men ran to the windows.<br />
"Richards," said the editor unfastening an apron so black<br />
it could have passed for a wiping rag at the well drillers,<br />
"We've got ourselves another fire. It looks like a big one."<br />
And then shaking his head, he added, "They're going to burn<br />
this town down yet. I'm going to see what's burning this time.<br />
You see the edition gets on."<br />
The three had been setting type for the next issue since<br />
four o'clock in the afternoon. The daily burden had been<br />
lengthened to 12 hours now that Frankie Tarr, a bald-headed,<br />
round-bellied, tobacco-stained rule bender from Bradford had<br />
left his cases for the distractions <strong>and</strong> demonstrations of the<br />
Free <strong>and</strong> Easy Concert Saloon on First Street... <strong>and</strong> had not<br />
returned. That was three days ago.<br />
So Richards sat down because he was tired. He was seventy<br />
years old. At his age he had no responsibilities that should tie<br />
him down to the routine of a print shop except that almost a<br />
year ago he <strong>and</strong> Editor Morton had struck up a friendship at<br />
the Moran House in Oil City. Richards did not need the inflated<br />
wage being paid printers in the oil region —five dollars a day<br />
<strong>and</strong> room <strong>and</strong> board. Common labor wheeling dirt fill on the<br />
railroad grade in Plumer earned forty cents an hour. Richards<br />
had been enjoying the comforts <strong>and</strong> the cooking at the Moran<br />
House <strong>and</strong> watching the doughty freighters <strong>and</strong> packets churn<br />
up the winding Allegheny River <strong>and</strong> between times working with<br />
Publisher Johns of The Oil City Weekly Register when the Echo<br />
No 3 the Urilda <strong>and</strong> LeClaire tied up in the first week of<br />
March' 1865 They came up from Pittsburgh bringing engines,<br />
boilers, tools, passengers, type cases, paper <strong>and</strong> a newspaper<br />
press . <strong>and</strong> Shadrach Bolden, a stowaway from Emlenton.<br />
Morton's mission was to start another newspaper in Venango<br />
County. , . ,<br />
The Echo <strong>and</strong> her "sisters" had just time enough to unload<br />
freight <strong>and</strong> passengers <strong>and</strong> load again <strong>and</strong> depart for Pittsburgh<br />
when the Allegheny River froze up with an extremely cold<br />
March snap. For three nights running the thermometer dropped<br />
below zero. Immediately after came a heavy rain, a deluge. It<br />
lasted two days. The rain was general along the Allegheny<br />
River watershed <strong>and</strong> brought on one of the most disastrous<br />
floods in the memory of the valley. Both Oil Creek <strong>and</strong> the<br />
Allegheny River poured their swollen currents over the flats<br />
of Oil City. A five million dollar loss swamped the property<br />
owners. Sixty thous<strong>and</strong> barrels of oil floated from the waterfront<br />
depots at the mouth of Oil Creek.<br />
continued on page 20<br />
MARCH—<strong>1968</strong> 11<br />
•p-*tri>
PENNSYLVANIA<br />
FISHERMEN<br />
HAVE LOTS<br />
OF LUCK<br />
CATCHING<br />
BIG FISH<br />
AND WINNING<br />
PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER<br />
FISHING CITATIONS<br />
PENNSYLVANIA FISHERMEN HAD A GOOD YEAR<br />
in 1967—at least that's the way it would appear from the<br />
number of <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> Angler <strong>Fish</strong>ing Citations awarded<br />
for catching big fish.<br />
With the totals all in, 225 citations were awarded in the<br />
Senior Class—that's 69 more than last year's 156! And another<br />
81 were awarded in the Junior Class which started<br />
only this year. Including both Junior <strong>and</strong> Senior Citations<br />
306 were h<strong>and</strong>ed out—not far from the 367 which had<br />
been awarded from the time the program was started in<br />
1964 through the 1966 season.<br />
Several anglers received citations for more than one<br />
catch with several picking up as many as three.<br />
First angler to receive a Senior Citation in 1967 was<br />
Allen L. Roen of Pottstown who caught an 18M inch, 3/2<br />
pound Crappie from Berks County's Ontelaunee Lake. Jeff<br />
Belo, 14, of Pittsburgh picked up the first Junior Citation<br />
with an 18 inch, 3M pound largemouth bass which he<br />
caught from Perry Lake in Beaver County.<br />
Probably best known of anglers receiving citations was<br />
<strong>Pennsylvania</strong>'s Governor Raymond P. Shafer who turned<br />
in the only entry for American Shad. He caught a 25 inch,<br />
6M pound fish while on a weekend fishing trip at Lackawaxen<br />
as a guest of the <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> Outdoor Writers.<br />
Most Senior Citation entries came in the smallmouth bass<br />
category with 69 fish entered. Big bullheads seemed next<br />
easiest to catch with 29 listed. Fifteen brook trout <strong>and</strong><br />
fifteen rock bass tied for third on the list <strong>and</strong> muskellunge<br />
were fourth. Fourteen of them were entered, also making<br />
the fishermen who caught them eligible for membership<br />
in another program started during the year—the Husky<br />
Musky Club.<br />
Another tie came between crappies <strong>and</strong> walleye. There<br />
were thirteen of each entered.<br />
Then came eleven largemouth bass; nine yellow perch;<br />
seven chain pickerel; six northern pike; five channel catfish;<br />
four each of brown trout <strong>and</strong> carp; three rainbow<br />
trout; two each of bluegills, eels, <strong>and</strong> fallfish; one lake trout<br />
<strong>and</strong> one shad.<br />
by TOM EGGLER, EDITOR<br />
CITATIONS<br />
FROM '67<br />
WATCH IS EXT MONTH'S ANGLER FOR A COM-<br />
PLETE LIST OF CITATIONS AWARDED FISH<br />
ERMEN DURING THE 1967 SEASON. CHECK<br />
THIS EDITION'S INSIDE REAR COVER FOR<br />
CITATION RULES AND SIZES.<br />
In the Junior Citations largemouth bass came first with<br />
twelve entries; eleven each of brown trout, bullheads, <strong>and</strong><br />
smallmouth bass; five each of brook trout, rainbow trout,<br />
<strong>and</strong> walleyes; four carp <strong>and</strong> four yellow perch; three crappies<br />
<strong>and</strong> three muskellunge; two channel catfish; <strong>and</strong> one<br />
each of shad, pumpkinseed sunfish, chain pickerel, eel, <strong>and</strong><br />
rock bass.<br />
Longest of all catches was a 502» inch muskellunge<br />
caught by Roger Dalo of Sharon who caught it from the<br />
Shenango River in Mercer County. It weighed 34/2 pounds.<br />
Heaviest was another muskellunge—a 45 pounder measuring<br />
48 inches caught by Robert Dennis of Conneaut Lake<br />
in Crawford County.<br />
A 10-year-old girl, Debbie Hepler of Telford, entered<br />
the longest catch in the Junior Citations—a 38M inch, 132*<br />
pound muskellunge.<br />
A 20 pound carp caught by 13-year-old John Ambrose<br />
of Girardville was the heaviest entry for a Junior Citation.<br />
He caught it from the Susquehanna River in Bradford<br />
County.<br />
Women proved themselves adept at catching big fish<br />
during the year—ten of them entered catches for citations.<br />
Another eight girls applied for Junior Citations.<br />
A listing of fish entered for citations including species,<br />
size, location caught, <strong>and</strong> type of tackle as well as the<br />
fishermen who caught them will be listed in the coming<br />
April edition of <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> Angler.<br />
<strong>Fish</strong>ermen interested in applying for citations may check<br />
the inside rear cover of this edition of the Angler for rules<br />
<strong>and</strong> size requirements for entering catches. Applications<br />
may be secured by contacting their district fish warden, a<br />
regional office of The <strong>Commission</strong> or by writing the Public<br />
Relations Division, The <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> <strong>Fish</strong> <strong>Commission</strong>,<br />
Harrisburg, <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> 17120.<br />
12 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER
MM\ . ^fi<br />
r^f ~<br />
f. ^*"Z<br />
T
y SHYRL HOOD<br />
WALLEYE PRODUCTION- Assistant <strong>Fish</strong>eries Chief,<br />
Warmwater Production<br />
BUSY SEASON!<br />
SPRINGTIME IS A BUSY TIME for <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> <strong>Fish</strong><br />
<strong>Commission</strong> hatcheries throughout the state <strong>and</strong> the Linesville<br />
Hatchery in Northwestern <strong>Pennsylvania</strong>'s Crawford<br />
County is no exception.<br />
This headquarters for warmwater species production becomes<br />
a hub of activity as the ice goes off <strong>and</strong> the time<br />
arrives for collecting walleye eggs for another year's production.<br />
Due to the prohibitive cost <strong>and</strong> impracticality of maintaining<br />
walleye brood stock, the <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> <strong>Fish</strong> <strong>Commission</strong><br />
takes its brood stock from a wild population in the<br />
2,500-acre Pymatuning Waterfowl Sanctuary, an area not<br />
open to sport fishing.<br />
Nets are set as soon as the ice goes off, usually between<br />
March 20 <strong>and</strong> April 5 to capture the needed brood fish.<br />
Nets are set on gravel <strong>and</strong> s<strong>and</strong> bars, preferably in water<br />
5 to 7 feet deep, with the opening facing shoreward <strong>and</strong><br />
the lead extending to shore when possible.<br />
As catches are made records of each daily production<br />
are kept. Initially catches contain a high percentage of<br />
males with relatively few ripe females. Then, as the water<br />
temperature rises, the proportion of females increases until<br />
EMPTYING A TRAP NET—the crib of the net is taken aboard<br />
the bow of the barge, the fish transferred into the tank <strong>and</strong> then<br />
taken immediately to the hatchery.<br />
a peak in the number of ripe females is reached. This peak<br />
period of ripe females coincides with a water temperature<br />
in the mid-40's <strong>and</strong> usually lasts a week or ten days. In the<br />
meantime males become less abundant.<br />
Nets are checked daily <strong>and</strong> all adult walleye are transported<br />
in tanks to the hatchery building where they are<br />
separated into males, ripe females, <strong>and</strong> green females with<br />
each category being placed in separate tanks.<br />
Green females are checked daily <strong>and</strong> usually ripen<br />
within three days. In the meantime ripe females are<br />
spawned as soon as sorting is completed <strong>and</strong> before they<br />
can loose a large number of eggs.<br />
A large female may produce as many as 400,000 eggs,<br />
however the number varies with the size of the fish. Usually<br />
25,000 to 40,000 eggs are produced for each pound<br />
of fish.<br />
Preparing for the artificial spawning, hatchery personnel<br />
place males <strong>and</strong> ripe females into separate tanks containing<br />
an anesthetic of methyl pentynol. Once completely<br />
anesthetized—about two minutes at the concentrations used<br />
—they are rinsed in clean water <strong>and</strong> spawning begins.<br />
Three men usually help during the process. One expresses<br />
the eggs into a wet basin <strong>and</strong> simultaneously the<br />
sperm from two males is added to insure fertilization.<br />
After spawning, a small amount of water is poured into<br />
ElllllilllHIII 1
the basin <strong>and</strong> the sperm <strong>and</strong> eggs are gently agitated for<br />
two minutes. The fertilized eggs are then poured into a<br />
twenty gallon wooden keg half full of water. Ten quarts<br />
of eggs is considered maximum for each keg. The eggs<br />
<strong>and</strong> water are gently stirred with a turkey feather for one<br />
hour as the water is changed frequently to remove excess<br />
sperm, egg shells, ovariam material, <strong>and</strong> other foreign<br />
matter.<br />
After an hour the eggs are thoroughly washed <strong>and</strong> by<br />
then have water hardened to such an extent that they can<br />
be placed into a wooden tub (a siphon adds a constant<br />
flow of fresh water to the tub). The eggs are stirred every<br />
ten minutes to prevent them from adhering to one another<br />
<strong>and</strong> possibly forming clumps.<br />
MR. SHYRL HOOD, assistant chief, division of fisheries, explains<br />
to a group of youngsters the method used in spawning<br />
walleyes aided by the use of anesthetics. Hundreds of scheduled<br />
<strong>and</strong> non-scheduled groups visit the Linesville Hatchery totaling<br />
approximately 250,000 yearly.<br />
Five hours later the eggs are considered completely<br />
water hardened <strong>and</strong>, by now, will have doubled in size.<br />
They are then placed in hatching jars after being strained<br />
through a one-eighth inch screen to remove any clumped<br />
eggs or any other material that might interfere with proper<br />
rolling in the hatching jars.<br />
Two quarts of eggs are placed in each jar in a 72 jar<br />
battery. Approximately one gallon of water per minute<br />
enters the jar from the bottom through a vertical glass tube<br />
in the center of the jar. Flow is regulated to insure a continuous<br />
gentle rolling of all the eggs. Screen inserts are<br />
placed at the top of each jar to prevent eggs from washing<br />
away with the outflow.<br />
Water for the hatching comes from Pymatuning Lake,<br />
MARCH —1 968<br />
continued on page 26<br />
DAILY CHECK of trap nets in Pymatuning Sanctuary. Twelve<br />
nets are usually set at ice out in the spring <strong>and</strong> continued until<br />
June. Early in this period brood walleye—<strong>and</strong> muskellunge—<br />
are captured for spawning <strong>and</strong> approximately 25,000 pounds<br />
of panfish are salvaged <strong>and</strong> stocked in public fishing waters<br />
throughout <strong>Pennsylvania</strong>.<br />
SORTING <strong>and</strong> counting the catch as it comes in from the lake.<br />
The brood fish are transferred to the hatching building for<br />
spawning.<br />
RECORD KEEPING in connection with tagging programs. Data<br />
such as species, size, date, <strong>and</strong> location are recorded for future<br />
use.<br />
15
MUDDY CREEK LAYS TUCKED away in the hills of<br />
southern York County, near the <strong>Pennsylvania</strong>-Maryl<strong>and</strong><br />
line, almost as close to Baltimore as it is to Harrisburg. But<br />
the hills that protect the beauty of this sparkling stream<br />
create one problem—how to stock it. Roads cross the<br />
stream but are few <strong>and</strong> far between, <strong>and</strong> none parallel it<br />
for any length. Consequently York County sportsmen<br />
began looking for another way of stocking trout in their<br />
picturesque stream.<br />
Members eventually approached the "MA <strong>and</strong> PA"<br />
railroad about utilizing the railroad since it follows Muddy<br />
Creek for some twelve miles. Officers of the line, feeling<br />
this would be a marvelous idea, enthusiastically pitched<br />
both men <strong>and</strong> equipment into the operation. Like most<br />
initial ventures there were problems to be worked out.<br />
Heat, lack of oxygen, poor access for the fish trucks <strong>and</strong><br />
the like, but one by one these problems were ironed out.<br />
The procedure <strong>and</strong> equipment now used gets trout started<br />
from one end of Muddy Creek to the other. Like every<br />
operation the stocking requires manpower. Sportsmen<br />
representing the Federation, individual clubs in the area,<br />
plenty of plain old fishermen, <strong>and</strong> railroaders get the<br />
job done.<br />
First a bit of background about Muddy Creek. At one<br />
time it deserved the name it now so proudly flaunts. The<br />
headwaters of the stream originating in the heavy farming<br />
area of central York County at one time—with the first<br />
sign of a cloud in the sky—ran mud. Due to the untiring<br />
> ' : d$* . * * J<br />
efforts of the Soil Conservation Service, the <strong>Fish</strong> <strong>Commission</strong>,<br />
a host of sportsmen, <strong>and</strong> most import<strong>and</strong>y the farmers<br />
who implemented the good farming practices that now protect<br />
both the creek <strong>and</strong> their farms, the stream today takes<br />
a back seat to none. Muddy Creek today runs cool <strong>and</strong><br />
clear with lunker trout tucked away from stockings years<br />
ago. Today the stream or some of its tributaries are showing<br />
signs of reproduction, in that some fingerlings are appearing<br />
where none were previously stocked. The stream<br />
bottom today is mostly s<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> gravel, <strong>and</strong> unique in that<br />
it's heavy in mica <strong>and</strong> pyrites making it seem to glow on a<br />
bright day where the sun cuts through the hemlocks along<br />
its banks.<br />
The railroad which is used for the stocking has a history.<br />
It once was the hub of lower York County as the<br />
skeletons of the once thriving little villages <strong>and</strong> stations<br />
that dot the tracks as they wind their way now silendy<br />
attest. Quiet mills <strong>and</strong> ab<strong>and</strong>oned canneries all bear mute<br />
witness to the past. Today the railroad still faithfully<br />
serves the area carrying some freight. On weekends an<br />
excursion train gives patrons a taste of the past as it follows<br />
along the banks of Muddy Creek for part of their tour.<br />
How about some of the people that make this unique<br />
way of stocking a reality? Ed Schneider, a postal carrier in<br />
York <strong>and</strong> the Federation representative <strong>and</strong> John Arnold<br />
a businessman in Red Lion donate their time unselfishly.<br />
Well in advance of the season these two men contact<br />
officials of the Maryl<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> railroads to ob-
THE TRAIN used for stocking Muddy Creek<br />
consists of work "putter" <strong>and</strong> wagon. On a<br />
warm spring day the clatter of the "putter"<br />
pulling its load of trout breaks the stillness<br />
of the little valley through which the stream<br />
runs. <strong>Fish</strong>ermen will have to do quite a bit<br />
of hiking to get to some of the spots stocked<br />
by the group.<br />
by PORTER DUVALL<br />
District Warden, York County<br />
TROUT ON A<br />
PULLMAN<br />
tain permission for the use of equipment on the days it will<br />
be needed<br />
In turn the Huntsdale Hatchery is contacted to arrange<br />
a schedule. The next man to enter into the picture is, of<br />
course, the busy hatchery superintendent who in turn<br />
juggles his schedule so the shipment of fish for Muddy<br />
Creek arrive on a day when we can utilize the railroad.<br />
This clone we need only await the day for the trout to<br />
arrive from the hatchery.<br />
When the day finally arrives everyone has his job. Mine<br />
is to meet the truck <strong>and</strong> sportsmen in Red Lion. A crew<br />
of men board the train in Red Lion <strong>and</strong> proceed to Muddy<br />
Creek Forks to pick up the barrels which have been<br />
stored at the Kaisers Store, since the last stocking. The<br />
crew, in turn, loads the barrels on the train <strong>and</strong> begin<br />
filling them with water <strong>and</strong> installing the oxygen tank<br />
aerator. The trucks, three in number, arrive in Red Lion,<br />
<strong>and</strong> from there, head South on Route 74.<br />
Looking back the cars of sportsmen <strong>and</strong> interested persons<br />
are following the truck sometimes as far as half a<br />
mile up the road. Further down Route 74 the trucks divide,<br />
two continue down 74 <strong>and</strong> one goes to Muddy Creek Forks.<br />
At the Forks the "train" is pulled along side the road <strong>and</strong><br />
the truck backed against it. The fish are quickly transferred<br />
from the trucks to the barrels. The enjoyable job of stocking<br />
Muddy Creek begins. Unfortunately the area of the<br />
train that can carry people is limited <strong>and</strong> consequently the<br />
number that can go along on any one leg of the journey is<br />
limited <strong>and</strong> of course on days when the weather is a bit<br />
inclement everyone appreciates a little relief.<br />
Due to the limited carrying capacity of the barrels, the<br />
stocking must be broken down into short sections <strong>and</strong><br />
sometimes it is even necessary to backtrack two or three<br />
miles to pick up a load of fish. The first leg of the journey<br />
begins at Muddy Creek Forks <strong>and</strong> approximately half of a<br />
three mile stretch is stocked. The "train" returns to<br />
Muddy Creek Forks, for another load <strong>and</strong> then the stocking<br />
of this first three mile stretch is completed. Next the<br />
train meets the stocking truck in the area known as Bruce<br />
Station, which lies at the upper end of Muddy Creek's<br />
"Fly <strong>Fish</strong>ing Only" section, <strong>and</strong> one can see easily the<br />
reason for using the railroad—there just isn't any other way<br />
to reach the stream. Bucket by bucket the trout are carefully<br />
stocked through-out the riffle areas, by the sportsmen.<br />
Occasionally you hear a "yelp," as one of the lunker<br />
trout in the load slips out of his bucket into the new<br />
environment.<br />
Of course no train ride would be complete without<br />
kibitzing, <strong>and</strong> there's plenty of that. Little things like<br />
harassing the fellows accused of attempting to mark each<br />
stop along the track with chalk. Someone has to fall in<br />
the stream of course, or forget to pull his hip-boots up, <strong>and</strong><br />
merrily wade in right over the top. And just to make life<br />
interesting as the train clacks along there is always the<br />
chance that a sudden lurch will half drown you, as water<br />
splashes from the barrels. But that's all part of the game.<br />
LOADING UP, a <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> <strong>Fish</strong> <strong>Commission</strong> "tanker" is backed<br />
up to the railway "tanker"—four barrels on flat car. Trout are transferred<br />
to the barrels <strong>and</strong> the crew starts down the tracks with Harry<br />
Dixon, Superintendent of the York office of the Maryl<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>Pennsylvania</strong> Railroad, at the controls. On the left is Al <strong>Fish</strong>er; on<br />
the right Ed Smith. Man in background is unidentified. continued on page 27<br />
17
)© Kennertiei<br />
fci<br />
Allegheny River<br />
TIOMESTA-MOSGROVE
BOATING with ROBERT G. MILLER<br />
DIRECTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA MARINAS<br />
ACCESS AREAS AND<br />
BOAT RENTAL FACILITIES<br />
ALLEGHENY RIVER<br />
TIONESTA—MOSGROVE<br />
Outboard pleasure craft, jet-boats <strong>and</strong> even an occasional<br />
inboard, ply the waters of the Allegheny River, between<br />
Tionesta <strong>and</strong> Mosgrove, but unfortunately facilities for<br />
launching transient craft are few <strong>and</strong> far between.<br />
Most existing access areas along this stretch of river<br />
contain only the basic features—a beach type ramp <strong>and</strong><br />
Tionesta Dam. Launching area located on the<br />
south side of the dam breast off Rts. 36/66 in<br />
the vicinity of the picnic area, about one mile<br />
east of Tionesta. Surfaced ramp <strong>and</strong> parking<br />
area. No charge.<br />
m<br />
Nebraska Bridge ramp at the upper end of the<br />
dam. Can be reached from Tionesta via the<br />
German Hill Road <strong>and</strong> from Clarion by way of<br />
Rt. 36. Ramp is at the east end of the bridge.<br />
President access area along Rt. 62, about one<br />
half mile south of Hunter Bridge. A Pa. <strong>Fish</strong><br />
<strong>Commission</strong> access area providing a beach type<br />
ramp, parking <strong>and</strong> no charge for usage.<br />
Oil City ramp, about one half mile northwest<br />
of the community, off Rt. 8. Another PFC<br />
project, it contains a beach type ramp, parking<br />
<strong>and</strong> no charge.<br />
Franklin, a PFC access area located off Elk<br />
Street. Facilities include a beach type ramp,<br />
parking area <strong>and</strong> open to the public at no<br />
charge.<br />
Kennerdell, Myers <strong>Boat</strong> Sales offers a ramp for<br />
launching as well as repair work on motors <strong>and</strong><br />
boat sales. The charge for use of the ramp is<br />
about $1. Farther up river is a beach type<br />
some parking space. In most cases gasoline <strong>and</strong> oil can<br />
only be procured from an area service station, <strong>and</strong> one may<br />
have trouble locating a repairman in case of a major<br />
breakdown.<br />
The launching areas, their location <strong>and</strong> facilities, are<br />
as follows:<br />
ramp located along the old railroad bed near the railroad<br />
tunnel.<br />
H<br />
Emlenton, off Rts. 38 <strong>and</strong> 208, provides a community<br />
owned access area which was originally<br />
developed for use by fire fighting equipment.<br />
At present there is a dirt road leading to the<br />
ramp where, when the water level is low, there is ample<br />
parking along the shoreline. Otherwise parking must be<br />
done on adjacent streets. A few miles below Emlenton,<br />
at Foxburg, fishing boats are rented.<br />
Brady,<br />
usage.<br />
r<br />
At East Brady, located on Rt. 68, there are<br />
two ramps, one on either side of the river. One,<br />
at Cogley's, is on the west side of the bridge;<br />
while the other is on the opposite side in East<br />
At both, it was reported, there is a charge for<br />
Mosgrove, about five miles north of Kittanning,<br />
has an access area off Leg. Rt. 03068.<br />
This is a beach type ramp with a parking area<br />
<strong>and</strong> no charge.<br />
A Pa. <strong>Fish</strong> <strong>Commission</strong> access area on the<br />
Clarion River on State Game L<strong>and</strong> 74, at Mill<br />
Creek. Beach type ramp, parking, no charge.<br />
MARCH —1 968 19
OIL MOON<br />
OVER PITHOLE<br />
continued from, page 11<br />
Forty thous<strong>and</strong> empty barrels, returning to the oil fields<br />
of northeastern Venango County, bobbled down-river also. Two<br />
hundred oil-boats, 80 feet long, 16 wide <strong>and</strong> 3 deep <strong>and</strong> acres<br />
of coal barges, thous<strong>and</strong>s of timber "sticks" from Tionesta<br />
Creek <strong>and</strong> even teams of horses, bridges <strong>and</strong> houses passed Oil<br />
City on the swift flood. Richards, with other guests of the<br />
Moran House <strong>and</strong> resident of Third Ward, scrambled to the<br />
higher ground of Halyday Run <strong>and</strong> Clark Summit. Lee Morton<br />
worried that his printing equipment at the Moran warehouse<br />
would get free-freight to Pittsburgh or would end up as a snag<br />
on Moran's gravel bar.<br />
And he worried about Shadrach Bolden, who in the excitement<br />
of the flood had become lost. For a time Morton<br />
feared the black boy had drowned. But Shadrach sat out the<br />
flood in the loft of the livery <strong>and</strong> ate raw eggs. Chickens<br />
roosted with him. On the third day the highwater subsided.<br />
Shadrach reappeared like a Noah with chickens <strong>and</strong> dogs <strong>and</strong><br />
house cats with news that the type cases <strong>and</strong> the press were<br />
safe. But the reams of paper were worthless. Oil City now<br />
had so much trouble recovering from the flood that it could<br />
hardly promise much to another newspaper. Not long after the<br />
word came of the oil find at Pithole. Morton then decided it<br />
was time for the newspaperman to follow the banker, doctor,<br />
teacher, lawyer to Pithole. He talked Richards into joining<br />
the venture.<br />
The press, type, new stock of paper borrowed from the<br />
Weekly Register <strong>and</strong> Shadrach were loaded on another packet<br />
<strong>and</strong> "horsed" by towline nine miles up the Allegheny River to<br />
the Oleopolis boat dock. Here the editor hired three wagons<br />
for a rough journey up Pithole Creek. It was a hot, dry July.<br />
But the twisting valley was shaded <strong>and</strong> cool. Rattlesnakes slid<br />
from their dens on the high ridges to the moisture <strong>and</strong> dampness<br />
of the creek-side boulders. Black flies were numerous.<br />
Between the snakes <strong>and</strong> the flies <strong>and</strong> the jarring ride Shadrach<br />
had a miserable journey. He dared to get off the wagon only at<br />
the Eagle Rock-Plumer Road fording where a Dutchman had<br />
set up a tent <strong>and</strong> offered travelers a stock of whisky which he<br />
cooled in a spring. Sarsaparilla was on displaytoo. Teamsters,<br />
hauling new barrels strapped with broad, shining hoops —these<br />
containers floated 40 miles on rafts from the city of Warren<br />
where they were made out of Warren County oaks — cursed <strong>and</strong><br />
shouted at the slow wagon train hauling the Morton enterprise.<br />
"Pithole needs barrels, not printing tramps," shouted one.<br />
"And Pithole needs a newspaper to tell you ignorant horse<br />
drivers what is happening," shouted Morton <strong>and</strong> employed his<br />
Civil War tactics to maintain his position at every fording.<br />
On September 25, 1865, Pithole had its paper. Morton announced<br />
that the Pithole Daily Record was born <strong>and</strong> that "its<br />
feeble voice will be heard today for the first time in our<br />
streets. It now calls for its natural support <strong>and</strong> succor upon<br />
those to whom it owes its existence . . .the citizens of Pithole."<br />
The citizens came quickly with advertisements <strong>and</strong> subscriptions.<br />
Soon The Record made a dependable, daily, to-the-door<br />
delivery to 1,500 subscribers. The price for six daily numbers<br />
was 30 cents.<br />
Morton <strong>and</strong> Richards alone could not set all the type by<br />
h<strong>and</strong>. They needed more help. Some advertisers got an overabundant<br />
amount of white space because the columns could be<br />
filled quickly with quadding <strong>and</strong> spacing material. Frankie Tarr<br />
<strong>and</strong> John Kelly showed up to inspect the excitement <strong>and</strong> went to<br />
work in the composing room. Kelly was a broad-shouldered,<br />
stout-legged farm boy who had served an apprenticeship with<br />
the "Allegheny Mail" at Warren.<br />
Before that he could st<strong>and</strong> in the tall timber along Tionesta<br />
Creek <strong>and</strong> hack away at the forest giants all day — <strong>and</strong> never<br />
tire. On a hot July day a few years before Kelly entered an<br />
Oldtown wheat field <strong>and</strong> cradled six <strong>and</strong> one fourth acres of the<br />
grain in 10 hours "by the watch, drill measure," he would add.<br />
He had set a Forest County record. Older men envied him.<br />
There were some days when Publisher Morton wished that<br />
Kelly had remained in the pine needles or in the wheat field.<br />
But what was done, was done <strong>and</strong> Kelly's stubby fingers clogged<br />
the partitions in the type cases <strong>and</strong> he stumbled over "fancy<br />
words." But he was willing <strong>and</strong> as easy-going as Shadrach.<br />
"My fingers are raw <strong>and</strong> stiff with cold. Can't pick up<br />
thin spaces any more until I warm them up. Can you hear that<br />
roof cracking?" asked Richards when he sat down."It's going<br />
to be a cold dawn when we get this paper out. Maybe the ink<br />
won't spread very good."<br />
The proofs were read at a big rolltop desk of which Morton<br />
was very proud — Its length could accommodate a sleeper. On<br />
it Morton relaxed when thoughts, words <strong>and</strong> sentences which<br />
would be the Record's editorials came with difficulty. And the<br />
scamp Shadrach too would curl up on this same length on<br />
Sundays — when the Record did not publish — <strong>and</strong> on those<br />
Sundays when the sun had dried the mud <strong>and</strong> Shadrach was not<br />
needed at the Chase House. Near the desk stood a big-bellied<br />
stove. Now Shadrach was antagonizing the iron beast with a<br />
poker, feeding it scoops of Cranberry coal <strong>and</strong> then waiting<br />
until the black smoke broke into a flame <strong>and</strong> belched back into<br />
the shop. Then he would slam the door, rub his broad h<strong>and</strong>s in<br />
front of the warming stove <strong>and</strong> melt away into the poorly-lit<br />
office — to the type cases.<br />
The negro could not read. But the big inch-high capital<br />
letters fascinated him. He would pick up a stick <strong>and</strong> then try to<br />
match the letters on the sign of the Chase House which he could<br />
see from the window. Neither Kelly nor Richards nor Morton<br />
bothered this volunteer to the ranks of printer's devils but<br />
Frankie Tarr bedeviled the blackie. He accused Shadrach of<br />
slipping wrong fonts into the cases. But Frankie had not shown<br />
up for work now for three days. Even shorth<strong>and</strong>ed in the first<br />
three hours the three printers had set up <strong>and</strong> made up a full<br />
page for the next issue of the Record. It was a page crammed<br />
with advertisements.<br />
While Publisher Morton boasted to his accounts that every<br />
one of his 1,500 subscribers read the advertisements, Richards<br />
knew it was a reading which printers did not enjoy. Like it or<br />
not the page must be proofread for errors. Most of the announcements<br />
were ads one column wide, two inches deep, with<br />
body matter set in agate solid. "E. R. Biggs of 75 Holmden<br />
Street sold watches <strong>and</strong> could repair them. Galey <strong>and</strong> Brown<br />
offered hardware <strong>and</strong> groceries. Leard <strong>and</strong> Wright manufactured<br />
oil well supplies. The Tremont Hotel had a bar with<br />
choice liquors <strong>and</strong> segars . . . meals at all hours . . . The Free<br />
Concert Saloon at No. 36 First Street appeals to all ye lovers<br />
of music . . . Dr. A. McCoIlough will impart his skills <strong>and</strong><br />
knowledge of medicine. Visits each $1 to $2. Medicine <strong>and</strong><br />
advice in office. Ordinary cases $5 to $15. Teeth extracted<br />
safely, each 50 cents, without pain. Midwifery cases $10 to<br />
$15." As Richards' tired but trained eyes marked typographical<br />
errors or omissions, he penciled the proofs with his initials,<br />
"J. R." He noted that ten more names were added to a "keep<br />
st<strong>and</strong>ing" list of persons who had not claimed letters at the<br />
Pithole post office. Five of these new names were "ladies,"<br />
who somewhere in the United States had given the new city as<br />
the next address. In some issues The Record printed the names<br />
of as many as 80 "ladies" who had not yet picked up their<br />
mail.<br />
The post office, too, was across the street from the Record.<br />
For amusement Frankie Tarr <strong>and</strong> John Kelly came to The<br />
Record early in the afternoon to watch the activities on Holmden<br />
Street from the second floor. Whenever any "girls" entered<br />
the post office the banter <strong>and</strong> innuendos ran, "Well there's a<br />
couple not too busy to come for the mail today." It was speculated<br />
by readers of The Record that the unclaimed mail belonged<br />
to girls who were too busy dancing <strong>and</strong> entertaining at<br />
the concert saloons on First Street.<br />
Not all the proofreading was dull. Editor Morton specialized<br />
occasionally in "Who's Been Here Since I've Been Gone"<br />
items ... a gossipy filler of the era . . . "John Mallory of John<br />
Street was beat by John Kerr. Kerr returned home unexpected<br />
<strong>and</strong> found Mallory under rather embarrassing circumstances.<br />
Whereupon Kerr suspected infidelity <strong>and</strong> the worst. Kerr, however,<br />
might have lost on both counts. He paid for the beating."<br />
Another item said: "A free-for-all fight developed at the Free<br />
<strong>and</strong> Easy Concert Saloon on First Street yesterday morning at<br />
two o'clock. Anna Holmes <strong>and</strong> Charlotte Orm quarreled over<br />
the attention of a customer. Anna pushed the argument to<br />
blows by calling Charlotte bad <strong>and</strong> doggy names. Charlotte's<br />
reply was very unladylike also ... a fist in Anna's eye. A battle<br />
ensued <strong>and</strong> the girls showed more than the tops of the balmorals<br />
as they tumbled <strong>and</strong> rolled among the tobacco spitoons.<br />
A royal outburst of fisticuffs followed with men choosing sides.<br />
20 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER
Anna had a mark under one eye after the disorder. Each paid<br />
a five dollar fine <strong>and</strong> shook h<strong>and</strong>s in front of the burgess. They<br />
departed arm in arm."<br />
So interested had Richards become in the last paragraph<br />
that he did not notice Tom Dunn had climbed the.stairs into<br />
the composing room. "Mr. Morton just hired me," he said.<br />
"Are you Mr. Richards?"<br />
CHAPTER TEN<br />
"YOU CAN HAVE Frankie Tarr's case over there on the<br />
left . . . near the window . . . when the colored gentleman is<br />
through playing with that sack of type." Justin Richards said as<br />
he rose to welcome Tom.<br />
"The Record might be the only print shop in the country to<br />
keep type in a bag. But it's been there since the big flood in<br />
Oil City almost a year ago. When the yellow water left the<br />
flood had distributed mud <strong>and</strong> Oil Creek grease <strong>and</strong> Forest<br />
County sawdust into our type cases in the Third Ward. Some<br />
type we dumped into a barrel of raw oil <strong>and</strong> when the fonts were<br />
cleaned we redistributed them. But the big wooden sorts . . .we<br />
just poured them into a flour sack <strong>and</strong> took them along. There<br />
wasn't very much time to do more. Colonel Morton usually<br />
insists on a much tidier shop. Other than that the bag keeps<br />
Shadrach busy. However, we hope to justify dragging this bag<br />
all the way over the slippery bed of Pithole Creek. Something<br />
very important might yet happen in this oil town ... something<br />
more important than just finding another heavy-flowing oil well.<br />
We are afraid, however, that the big black letters may yet announce<br />
a sheriff's sale.<br />
"But forgive me .. . Tom is it? I'm talking about us. How<br />
far have you come today? You must be new here. We've turned<br />
Pithole upside down looking for another printer. You look<br />
tired I Have you eaten?" asked Richards.<br />
"Not since I ate in Pleasantville in the afternoon," Tom<br />
answered. "I'm hungry. But if you men are behind on your<br />
news copy or advertisements, I'm willing to grab a stick right<br />
now. Perhaps this colored gentleman will get me something<br />
to eat from one of the hotels."<br />
"Yas suh, Shadrach is at your service," volunteered the<br />
sprightly, big-eyed, always-smiling attache, "Soon as I get this<br />
bag hung.<br />
"What'll you have . . . Mistuh? The Chase House had baked<br />
ham, big golden yellow yams <strong>and</strong> brown beans for supper. Do<br />
you want a quick plate? I'll be back in no time. Shadrach<br />
doesn't wait in Pithole like the rest of the people. I know the<br />
cooks."<br />
Tom had hardly replied with an order for two ham s<strong>and</strong>wiches<br />
when the negro added, "<strong>and</strong> a big pitcher of hot coffee,"<br />
<strong>and</strong> scooted down the steps.<br />
"And charge it to The Record," shouted Richards after<br />
him.<br />
In a few minutes Editor Morton came bouncing up the<br />
stairs, two at a time, just as quickly as Shadrach had descended.<br />
Had the two met in the narrow hallway there certainly<br />
would have been a bone-rattling collision. He stopped at the<br />
big desk, reached into a cubby-drawer for a long "segar."<br />
"Men," he announced dramatically. "It looks like Pithole<br />
will live awhile longer yet. We have a new source of oil, a<br />
new wealth, a new attraction, a new opportunity. And of all<br />
places...the springs <strong>and</strong> wells on the hill north <strong>and</strong> west of<br />
the last block of Holmden, especially on John Street, are flowing<br />
with oil.<br />
"Isn't that a wonderful turn of events? Everyone says you<br />
must drill six hundred feet into the ground. But tonight you can<br />
sink your heel or draw your toe across the mud of Pithole <strong>and</strong><br />
become a rich oilman."<br />
Colonel Morton stopped to regain his breath <strong>and</strong> to light his<br />
tobacco root at a gas jet <strong>and</strong> then took out folded papers. Studying<br />
his notes <strong>and</strong> enjoying his segar momentarily, he continued<br />
with a report of the facts.<br />
"It happened right after the fire. The Tremont House <strong>and</strong><br />
the Sycamore Hotel <strong>and</strong> the Chatauque Livery burned to the<br />
ground.<br />
"Tom...you were there when they started to bring on<br />
more water <strong>and</strong> instead of putting out the fire they only brought<br />
the blaze up again?<br />
"Well, I <strong>and</strong> a few others went to the wells. John Harris<br />
of the Bath House has a very good well. I guess that half of the<br />
dirty occupants of this city washed there in the heat of last<br />
August. We put a bucket down. And tasted what came up. It sure<br />
tasted like oil, smelled like oil with a strong gassy flavor like<br />
the wells on the flats along the creek smell.<br />
"Then we went to a Mrs. Ricketts next door. She is a<br />
widow who does washing for a living. Her well, she said, is<br />
16 feet deep. A stroke of the ricketty pump h<strong>and</strong>le produced a<br />
good flow of oil. It too, looked like genuine oil. By the way.. .<br />
looks like the widow Ricketts won't have to take in any more<br />
dirty shirts <strong>and</strong> oily pants. Nor look for a husb<strong>and</strong>. She got a<br />
bona fide proposal while I was there.<br />
"After we left Mrs. Ricketts' place it began to appear that<br />
all 18 properties on both sides of John Street, north of Fourth,<br />
had oil-flowing wells. People came out in the streets to shout<br />
their good fortunes. It's a funny night... in one block we had a<br />
tragedy. In the other we find a treasure. L. L. Hill came out<br />
of his house <strong>and</strong> invited everybody ....<br />
" 'Come on down into my cellar, all of you that can get in,<br />
<strong>and</strong> I'll show you a real oil well.'<br />
"We followed him into his cold, damp hole in the ground.<br />
Hill rolled a barrel under the pump spout.<br />
" 'Now watch, men. Everybody says you must dig a hole<br />
six or seven hundred feet into an oil rock, put in a lot of pipe,<br />
hew out walking beam, build a shanty <strong>and</strong> install a pump engine<br />
. . . just you watch my h<strong>and</strong>-well perform.'<br />
"He began to shake the h<strong>and</strong>le. In five minutes by the<br />
burgess' watch the spout filled the barrel to the top. That's<br />
$42 an hour at today's oil quotation on the Chase Exchange<br />
Board. Of course a barrel of oil is pretty heavy. And it has<br />
no h<strong>and</strong>les.<br />
" 'How are you going to get this oil out of the cellar?,'<br />
jibed some of the envious byst<strong>and</strong>ers.<br />
" 'I'll tear the house down,' said Hill. And many of us<br />
agreed that in a few days he would be able to build a better<br />
shack than already stood over his cellar.<br />
"I don't know how many more water wells are going to<br />
turn into oil wells tonight," said the editor.<br />
"I'm not too sure that some bright schemer is not pulling<br />
a promotion. And right now it's almost midnight. It's getting<br />
late, too late to find out. You fellows get busy on those short<br />
news items <strong>and</strong> those big ads for the oil development on the<br />
Holmden Farm. And be sure to give a column to The Chase.<br />
We've got to eat <strong>and</strong> sleep.<br />
"I'll write out a ten-line head for the big story.<br />
"And you, Tom, if you're not too tired, you might set up<br />
tomorrow's menus for The Chase <strong>and</strong> The Morey. They are to<br />
be delivered with the papers. Or else a lot of guests in Pithole<br />
will never know either the excellence or the extent of our<br />
cuisine."<br />
Shadrach, meanwhile, had returned with the food <strong>and</strong> the<br />
news that "a whole bunch of people is running up the street<br />
... ." From time to time residents of Pithole came to order<br />
special copies of The Record's next issue.<br />
"My people back in Boston won't believe what I've seen<br />
here tonight. Send a dozen extra copies to Tom Jordan, Room<br />
46 at The Chase," said one customer.<br />
Another came to volunteer that Mr. Dame of the U, S.<br />
Laundry started pumping his water well seriously. He filled<br />
five barrels quickly <strong>and</strong> then ran out of containers. He preferred<br />
to keep his good news to himself, <strong>and</strong> he could since<br />
his well was in the cellar. But when he went asking about<br />
barrels at midnight he disclosed his possession. The Record's<br />
work was disrupted periodically during the night with new<br />
reports. Editor Morton cautioned some of his more enthusiastic<br />
visitors who urged him to print the story "big."<br />
"We better be careful this is not a trick."<br />
"There was a gentleman, I use the term charitably, in here<br />
an hour ago who wanted me to announce that the seeping oil<br />
springs were now being found east of Holmden Run.. . Over<br />
there where the town has just laid out fourteen new blocks,<br />
hoping that we'd grow to that size."<br />
"I just didn't like the looks of that man. And until I see<br />
the wells myself in the daylight, I won't say a word. He might<br />
be trying to sell some property. They've been trying to develop<br />
<strong>and</strong> build up those lots for some time now. Until this<br />
•miracle,' if that's what it is, until tonight, people were leaving<br />
Pithole. ..."<br />
The Record had its edition on the streets on time the<br />
morning after The Tremont House burned <strong>and</strong> the water wells<br />
began to run with oil. Fifteen hundred copies were worked off<br />
for regular subscribers. In addition 1,500 were sold to cash<br />
customers, many of whom waited all night outside the office.<br />
Tom Dunn rolled into bed at The Chase at six o'clock in<br />
continued on page 22<br />
MARCH—1 968 21
OIL MOON continued from page 21<br />
the morning. Shadrach in his many trips to the hotel during the<br />
night had reserved a room. The dawn had already broken <strong>and</strong><br />
silhouetted the white-painted Morey House to the east.<br />
CHAPTER ELEVEN<br />
FEBRUARY 8, 1866 HAD BEEN a very exhausting day for<br />
Tom Dunn. Even though he was healthy, husky <strong>and</strong> young, the<br />
12-mile walk from Titusville to Pithole, the struggling he did<br />
to bring the bruised pack peddler to the Morey House, the<br />
running <strong>and</strong> the excitement of the Tremont House fire <strong>and</strong> then<br />
the long night's work at The Record had tired Tom. Now as<br />
he rested in bed sleep would not come. His room at the Chase<br />
overlooked busy, noisy Holmden Street. At daybreak nine stage<br />
coaches would be leaving. Horses snorted <strong>and</strong> whinnied. Jn the<br />
valley barked the peppy pump engines. Someone shouted reservations<br />
for Miller Farm where train connections could be made<br />
for Pittsburgh, Chicago, Buffalo, New York. As one coach<br />
clattered off for that Oil Creek station over the only plank road<br />
in the oil region at that time passengers crowded into a Pomeroy<br />
Express stage making up for the four-hour ride to Titusville<br />
<strong>and</strong> for West Hickory, the latter a new oil port in the<br />
forests of Warren County fifteen miles to the north. Coaches<br />
were leaving early that morning to travel on a pavement of<br />
heavy frost. Frozen roads would permit good speed until the<br />
ponderous wagons freighting timber, engines, flour, building<br />
bricks, drilling rigs <strong>and</strong> iron stock tanks reappeared on all<br />
roads converging on busy Pithole. It seemed to Tom that he<br />
had barely fallen asleep to the calls of the stage drivers when<br />
another caller banged on his door.<br />
"Wake up, Tom. " It's three o'clock in the afternoon]<br />
"You've sleeping through one of Pithole's most exciting<br />
days. And Pithole's has many. See you in the dining room.<br />
Ask for Colonel Morton's table, if you can't see us. The room<br />
is getting crowded. We'll all eat together," the voice trailed<br />
off in the hallway. Some time passed before Tom could orient<br />
himself <strong>and</strong> identify his rouser as his new employer <strong>and</strong> surrender<br />
his restful if unfamiliar bed.<br />
Although the day had dawned clear clouds had rolled in<br />
from Lake Erie by midmorning. Snow had fallen. About three<br />
inches now covered the roofs of the unheated pumphouse shanties.<br />
The picture out of Tom's window was an etching of black<br />
<strong>and</strong> white, of soot on snow. Surrounding hills <strong>and</strong> trees were<br />
white. The shacks, the high, black stovepipes jutting out of<br />
each building <strong>and</strong> the 50-foot oil derricks on the flats near<br />
Pithole Creek stood out dirty-dark against the clean blanket.<br />
Tom had a corner room. From the north window he could<br />
see a mob milling on the hillside two blocks away. Below him<br />
on Holmden Street people moved about with buckets <strong>and</strong> shovels.<br />
The buckets <strong>and</strong> shovels were to be mementos of the oil<br />
miners — participants in Pithole's greatest <strong>and</strong> perhaps last<br />
excitement. A row of barrels <strong>and</strong> containers on both sides<br />
narrowed John Street to a lane.<br />
Liquid black gold for which people drilled deep into the<br />
earth now was flowing out of water wells <strong>and</strong> hillside springs<br />
<strong>and</strong> seeping into trenches, oozing into ditches, potholes, filling<br />
street ruts <strong>and</strong> appearing under heel prints. This was a great<br />
hour. Mother Nature now made it simple for any <strong>and</strong> all to<br />
get rich. Get a shovel <strong>and</strong> a tin bucket or a coffee pot <strong>and</strong><br />
embark upon an oil business in Pithole.<br />
This was a great event. It towered above all events that<br />
made Pithole the most exciting city in <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> in less<br />
than 500 days.<br />
It was as momentous a day as the day I. N. Frazier brought<br />
$100,000 in profits from his Cherry Run Oil operations near<br />
Oil City <strong>and</strong> came to the rolling buckwheat fields of the Holmden<br />
Farm where he started to drill the experimental well.<br />
Reward came for his gamble. Six hundred fifty barrels of oil<br />
gushed out of the Frazier on her first day, January 7, 1865.<br />
The oil now seeping into tin buckets on John Street was<br />
causing more excitement than the re-emphasis of Frazier's<br />
find which came with the completion of the Twin Wells, on<br />
January 17 <strong>and</strong> 19, less than two weeks later. The Twins gave<br />
the wilderness eight hundred more barrels of oil each day.<br />
When the news of these three prolific producers echoed through<br />
the tall timber of Cornplanter Township to Titusville north <strong>and</strong><br />
Oil City south <strong>and</strong> to the oil-wise valley on Oil Creek to the<br />
west, a great mob climbed the plateau country of northeastern<br />
Venango County. Seven extra trains with women clinging on<br />
the top of box cars <strong>and</strong> as many as forty people crammed into<br />
cattle cars <strong>and</strong> with others roosting on filled oil barrels like<br />
chickens arrived in Miller Farm in one day.<br />
But the oozings on John Street now caused more excitement<br />
than did the birth of Grant Well which spouted 450 barrels in<br />
its first offering on the second day of August, 1865, <strong>and</strong> then<br />
became more generous vomiting incessantly 1,200 barrels of<br />
liquid gold — worth then $10 a barrel — every day. It made a<br />
millionaire in less than 100 days. After the Grant came other<br />
liberal producers <strong>and</strong> hundreds of smaller contributors until<br />
Pithole could no longer cart away, barrel, store, impound on<br />
the surface or divert into hastily dug pits or waste the thous<strong>and</strong>s<br />
of barrels of "liquid greenbacks." Seventeen monstrous<br />
1,200-barrel iron stock-tanks were like a cup against the sea.<br />
The oil overflowed all containers <strong>and</strong> ran into scenic Pithole<br />
Creek. Down this wild glen it poured into the Allegheny River.<br />
On the riffle at the mouth of Pithole Creek were str<strong>and</strong>ed long<br />
lumber rafts, the hard-hewn sweat <strong>and</strong> product of the Warren<br />
<strong>and</strong> Forest County. The golden froth impregnated the oak,<br />
white pine, ash <strong>and</strong> hickory. Raftsmen cursed it <strong>and</strong> the government<br />
for not clearing a deep channel so that the rafts could<br />
have unobstructed sailing.<br />
This day of February 9, 1866 was more exciting than the<br />
day when the <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> Tubing <strong>and</strong> Transportation Company<br />
completed its seven mile "squirt gun," a six-inch pipeline<br />
dug into Pithole Creek's twisting vein to Oleopolis. This company<br />
poured much of Pithole's wealth into pipe. Gravity rushed<br />
it along on a drop of sixty feet to a mile, seven miles to river<br />
freighters <strong>and</strong> oil barges sailing for Pittsburgh, 130 miles<br />
away. This was a greater day than any day in the last nine<br />
months when Pithole erected almost 500 buildings, where<br />
streets "more elaborate than Central Park" were planned.<br />
This seemed a more important day than the day when a locomotive<br />
built in Philadelphia with companion freight cars <strong>and</strong><br />
long rails arrived at Oleopolis by river freighter from Pittsburgh<br />
... A greater hour than the hour when six hundred men<br />
began to build a path for this iron monster ....<br />
A more exciting day than when the announcement came<br />
just two days ago that the locomotive's smoke could be seen<br />
around the first bend below Pithole City. And this too, was a<br />
greater day than the days when the same hillside now leaking<br />
its oily treasure into buckets <strong>and</strong> contaminating water wells<br />
figured in a real estate transaction that involved more than a<br />
million dollars. In July, 1865, three Titusville investors took<br />
an option to buy this greasy hillside, a part of the famous<br />
Holmden Farm, for $1,300,000. A few days later, after furious<br />
proposals, they almost surrendered their option to a New York i<br />
investor for $1,600,000. So valuable was the farm slope that<br />
midwestern capitalists offered a block of the City of Chicago,<br />
estimated to be worth $400,000, for a block of muddy streets,<br />
dirty shanties <strong>and</strong> cottages in Pithole which inflated estimates<br />
placed at $175,000.<br />
A few days ago the Chicagoans might have considered<br />
themselves lucky. Pithole's oil flow had dropped from 8,000<br />
barrels a day to 2,000. "For Sale" signs were appearing in<br />
store windows in the block containing the Tremont Hotel, the<br />
livery stable <strong>and</strong> other buildings. People were leaving. The<br />
Record readied its own "For Sale" announcement.<br />
On top of all came the fire which gutted some of the<br />
contested real estate. It was the beginning of the end.<br />
But then oil flowed into the water wells.<br />
THE REMAINS of Pithole City—a historical marker <strong>and</strong><br />
souvenir shop.<br />
PART FOUR NEXT MONTH<br />
22 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER
continued front page 7<br />
When I first started fishing with a spinning rod my husb<strong>and</strong><br />
Jim explained to me about casting with the forearm<br />
not the entire arm, about holding the rod tip at 2 o'clock<br />
<strong>and</strong> casting till the tip finished at 10 o'clock. Well, I cast<br />
With my rod tip pointed at 12 o'clock finish with it as 6<br />
o'clock, the line leaves my reel <strong>and</strong> goes thru the guides<br />
like the mating song of a love sick bull moose <strong>and</strong> l<strong>and</strong>s<br />
three feet in front of me.<br />
After repeated attempts to unsnarl it, I slyly turn my<br />
back (to get out of the glare of the sun) <strong>and</strong> removing the<br />
swivel, bubble <strong>and</strong> flies, I proceed to clip off the mess <strong>and</strong><br />
either hide it in some adjoining bush or in my pocket.<br />
When asked if I need any help, I lie like a trooper <strong>and</strong><br />
answer that I've got the tangles out. I can safely bet that<br />
I m the only person in Schuylkill County that requires new<br />
line on her reel after each fishing trip.<br />
When Jim has hooked a trout I st<strong>and</strong> by <strong>and</strong> offer him<br />
sage advice like "keep the rod tip bent, keep the line<br />
tight, don't horse him <strong>and</strong> don't scare him with the net."<br />
"ve heard some of his friends (my enemies) remark to<br />
each other, "See what fun you miss when you don't bring<br />
your wife along." Insulting remarks scamper thru my<br />
brain but I reply with the remark that sarcasm ill becomes<br />
one who can't even have a baby. All men on lake or stream<br />
look with silent contempt on any female that has invaded<br />
bis sacred domain.<br />
Now then, when I'm bass or pickerel fishing, that's another<br />
thing. My line stays fairly neat on the reel because<br />
the weight of my plug helps rather than hinders. But beware<br />
of all low overhanging branches, jutting rocks or other<br />
fellow humans.<br />
If I'm walking <strong>and</strong> fishing the shore line my technique<br />
is atrocious. I try to remain ahead or behind my husb<strong>and</strong><br />
so he can't see the things I do. If I've tried casting down<br />
the shore line as sure as God made apples, I'm certain to<br />
bave casted up instead of down. Up in the air that is.<br />
I always seem to be in a tree. They come out of nowhere<br />
to ensnarl me. I just can't cast underh<strong>and</strong>, or easy, or right.<br />
MARCH—<strong>1968</strong><br />
I've learned a lot of easy ways to remove my plug from a<br />
branch ten feet up in the air or from twigs <strong>and</strong> rocks sticking<br />
ten feet out from shore. I could but I won't tell you<br />
of some of my devious ways as I'm thinking of having them<br />
patented. If Jim comes upon me sitting <strong>and</strong> asks why I'm<br />
not fishing, I tell him the spot was so beautiful I thought I'd<br />
enjoy the scenery <strong>and</strong> leave the fishing to him. I conceal<br />
the fact that I've lost my plug or broken the tip of my rod.<br />
When fishing from a boat I must say my fishing is an art<br />
in itself. I cast <strong>and</strong> my plug l<strong>and</strong>s beautifully right at the<br />
shore in a little pocket of a tree stump. I let the plug sit<br />
for a second <strong>and</strong> when I go to move it I have a d<strong>and</strong>y<br />
bass take the plug. Jim is singing my praises <strong>and</strong> the guys<br />
in the other boats look on with envy. My husb<strong>and</strong> is so<br />
proud that I haven't the heart to tell him that I was actually<br />
casting to the stump on the other side of the boat.<br />
Believe me, any fish I catch are pure luck, nothing else.<br />
It's as if the Good Lord Himself looks down from above<br />
<strong>and</strong> takes pity on me.<br />
In my opinion my husb<strong>and</strong> is the best fisherman there<br />
is, bar none. To watch him fish is a joy forever. It's a<br />
shame I have to tag along <strong>and</strong> spoil everyone's fun. I've<br />
taught him to criticize me with a smile on his face <strong>and</strong> to<br />
yell at me in a whisper. It's not easy to keep my Lithuanian<br />
temper dormant after being told "How the °#!"" i "&*? can<br />
you do such a dumb stupid thing?" in a bellow that can be<br />
heard for a two mile range. I don't mind constructive<br />
criticism—-but not while all the other fellows are looking<br />
on with satisfied smirks on their faces.<br />
When my husb<strong>and</strong> takes me fishing he's not like most<br />
men. I know some who leave their wives on the bank<br />
with the admonition "Now don't bother me." Mine st<strong>and</strong>s<br />
near <strong>and</strong> offers sympathy, advice <strong>and</strong> a third h<strong>and</strong> when<br />
needed, which is frequently. Not only will he render these<br />
services with kindness but a remark such as "Don't feel bad<br />
Honey, I did the same thing when I was learning," helps<br />
to a great degree.<br />
He has made fishing the sport that it is to me. We enjoy<br />
ourselves wholeheartedly while being sportsmen in turn.<br />
We are not meat fishermen but we do enjoy bringing the<br />
big ones back, if only to prove we aren't lying.<br />
But—<strong>and</strong> this is the important one ladies—don't expect<br />
any favor or special privileges when you do go. When a<br />
man puts a rod in his h<strong>and</strong>, he's not the same man you<br />
married. Remember how he held your arm to help you<br />
<strong>and</strong> held the branches back so you could pass? Lady, those<br />
days are gone.<br />
He's a mile ahead of you, hurrying to get to the good<br />
spots first. It doesn't matter that you're carrying your rod<br />
<strong>and</strong> tackle box <strong>and</strong> surely the lunch <strong>and</strong> thermos. You<br />
wanted to come so be treated like an equal <strong>and</strong> like it.<br />
Besides, you can retaliate when you get him home.<br />
I realize that all this must sound like a lot of mud to<br />
you now but in due time the fishing jargon such as a Quill<br />
Gordon tied on a #12 hook or a crazy crawler <strong>and</strong> hoola<br />
popper will become the same to you as "drop by teaspoon<br />
onto greased pan <strong>and</strong> bake at 350° for 10-13 minutes. It<br />
doesn't take long to acquire the slang <strong>and</strong> plenty of other<br />
colorful words too numerous to mention.<br />
So fellow females, leave your dishes in the sink <strong>and</strong> the<br />
beds unmade. Get that guy to buy you a license <strong>and</strong> don't<br />
feel bad if it takes you ten years to learn.<br />
23
TWO'S THE LIMIT!<br />
• Joseph Janos <strong>and</strong> Lawrence Burdick, both from Waterford,<br />
have been finding that French Creek seems to be a<br />
steady producer of walleyes for fishermen, in the month<br />
of December.<br />
But they found that two walleyes per day seems to be<br />
the limit per fisherman, no matter how long they fished.<br />
After catching two the third just couldn't be caught until<br />
the next day, they said.-District Warden NORMAN E. ELY<br />
(Erie County).<br />
TIP FOR SPORTSMEN<br />
• I know of no better answer to this question <strong>and</strong> I would<br />
like to pass it along to all sportsmen. Hank Andrews, editor<br />
of Camping & Travel for Fur-<strong>Fish</strong>-Game Magazine was<br />
asked the following question. "What single tip would you<br />
suggest for one to find good hunting, fishing, <strong>and</strong> camping?"<br />
His answer was to "get to know the conservation officer<br />
in your home county <strong>and</strong> in nearby counties. All these<br />
men know their areas extremely well <strong>and</strong> I have yet to<br />
meet one who has run out of ideas on where to fish, hunt,<br />
camp or boat. Many can give you ideas on how to fish<br />
a certain stream or lake by suggesting what baits to use,<br />
how to use them <strong>and</strong> when."—District Warden WILLARD G.<br />
PERSUN (Bradford County)<br />
\l I I , I I<br />
"YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE ONE THAT GOT<br />
AWAY . . . IT WAS THIS BIG!"<br />
TIH IE STREAMS<br />
ELDERLY FISHERMEN<br />
• In checking license applications picked up from issuing<br />
agents I was surprised—but grateful—to see the number<br />
of senior citizens who are still enjoying fishing. In checking<br />
I found one lady 88 years old <strong>and</strong> a gentleman of 92<br />
who had each purchased licenses.<br />
This just proves age doesn't have to put a stop to enjoying<br />
<strong>Pennsylvania</strong>'s number one sport!—District Warden<br />
CLOYD W. HOLLEN (Blair County).<br />
HELPING OUT<br />
• A fish warden receives many phone calls during the<br />
course of a year, many for complaints <strong>and</strong> many asking for<br />
information regarding fishing opportunities throughout the<br />
county. But recently I had the most unusual call of all.<br />
Mr. Lewis Crull of R.D. 2, Carlisle called <strong>and</strong> asked if<br />
it was legal for him <strong>and</strong> his wife to pick up litter <strong>and</strong> trash<br />
at <strong>Commission</strong>-owned Opossum Lake which is about tbree<br />
miles from town.<br />
I, of course, asked him why he wanted to pick up trash.<br />
He replied that he <strong>and</strong> his wife had had so many enjoyable<br />
hours this past summer fishing <strong>and</strong> boating at the lake that<br />
they wanted to do something for the <strong>Fish</strong> <strong>Commission</strong> in<br />
return <strong>and</strong> they felt that this would be one way they<br />
could return some payment for "the fine job the <strong>Commission</strong><br />
is doing," as he put it.<br />
I gave them permission to clean the area <strong>and</strong> the following<br />
day he called again to ask if I could secure a truck<br />
to haul the trash away. He <strong>and</strong> his wife had picked up<br />
over sixteen bushels of paper, beer cans, pop bottles, etc.,<br />
that other persons had left who did not appreciate the lake<br />
in the same manner as the Crull's.<br />
The Crull family deserves a big vote of "thanks" for a<br />
job well done.-Districf Warden PERRY D. HEATH (Cumberl<strong>and</strong><br />
County).<br />
FISHING FAMILY!<br />
• While on patrol last summer accompanied by State<br />
Policeman Adam Kachurick we came upon a man <strong>and</strong> a<br />
lady fishing with a small child wrapped in a blanket <strong>and</strong><br />
laying along a very steep cliff at Koon Lake.<br />
We saw the child moving around in the blanket <strong>and</strong>,<br />
being afraid for the child's safety, we pointed out the<br />
danger to the parents. The mother told us she was keeping<br />
an eye on the baby.<br />
On a later trip the same family was fishing at the same<br />
spot, again with the child wrapped in a blanket along the<br />
same steep cliff.<br />
Again the danger was pointed out. The mother asked<br />
what we thought she could do as they didn't want to leave<br />
tfh<br />
PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER
the spot because the fish were biting well. We gave her<br />
a rope <strong>and</strong> she tied the baby to a nearby tree.<br />
Then again even later in the summer we found the same<br />
family at the same spot, <strong>and</strong>, of course, with the baby.<br />
: But this time they'd come up with a better solution.<br />
They'd bought the child a harness <strong>and</strong> a new rope <strong>and</strong><br />
had the rope tied to a nearby tree.<br />
The mother thanked us for our earlier suggestions <strong>and</strong><br />
added that it was "sure more relaxing to fish without having<br />
to worry about the baby so much."—District Warden<br />
WILLIAM E. MclLNAY (Bedford <strong>and</strong> Fulton Counties).<br />
GOOD YEAR!<br />
* The year 1967 proved an excellent year for fishing in<br />
the Susquehanna River in Northumberl<strong>and</strong> County. Several<br />
<strong>Fish</strong>ing Citations for big catches were awarded <strong>and</strong><br />
[, most anglers reported good catches throughout the year.<br />
This has been reflected in fishermen interest <strong>and</strong> an increase<br />
in license sales. And prospects already appear for<br />
even a better <strong>1968</strong>!-Distriet Warden ROBERT J. PERRY<br />
(Columbia, Montour, <strong>and</strong> Northumberl<strong>and</strong> Counties).<br />
,. VIOLATION REPORTER<br />
' Special <strong>Fish</strong> Warden John Lukavitch <strong>and</strong> I had paused<br />
for a well earned cup of coffee one day after having<br />
patrolled Harveys Lake in bitter cold. As we sat sipping,<br />
an angler, recognizing my car, came into the restaurant to<br />
look for me.<br />
"I'd like to report a violation," he exclaimed, when he<br />
saw me.<br />
"Good," I said, stirred at the thought that finally we<br />
were getting cooperation from an aroused sportsman.<br />
"Tell me about it."<br />
) "Well," he began, "I was fishing off a dock down on the<br />
lake <strong>and</strong> after I had caught my limit, I watched two other<br />
fishermen. One of them had caught his limit of trout <strong>and</strong><br />
then he h<strong>and</strong>ed the same rod to his buddy <strong>and</strong> he too<br />
caught his limit. Now there were two limits of trout<br />
caught with that same rod, <strong>and</strong> that's illegal!"<br />
As I explained to the fisherman that this did not constitute<br />
a violation of the fish laws I couldn't help notice<br />
John, a veteran of over thirty years in fish law enforcement,<br />
sitting there shaking his head slowly from side to<br />
side.<br />
Later, as we left, he said, "You meet them all, don't<br />
you?"-District Warden JAMES F. YODER (Luzerne County).<br />
ENTHUSIASTIC NON-RESIDENT<br />
• The December first opening of winter fishing season<br />
creates more <strong>and</strong> more interest every year.<br />
While on routine patrol at Quaker Lake this year the<br />
sight along the shore reminded me of opening day in April.<br />
<strong>Fish</strong>ermen were lined along the shore almost shoulder to<br />
shoulder. One gentleman approached me <strong>and</strong> asked if I<br />
was the <strong>Fish</strong> Warden, then continued to say that he had<br />
\ purchased his <strong>1968</strong> non-resident license already, but with<br />
everyone catching such large trout, he wondered if he<br />
could purchase a 5-day tourist license from me. After buying<br />
the license he also subscribed to the <strong>Pennsylvania</strong><br />
Angler <strong>and</strong> left to enjoy some fine fishing at the lake.<br />
-District Warden RICHARD R. ROBERTS (Susquehanna<br />
County)<br />
"EXCELLENT" RESULTS!<br />
• Winter trout fishing really took a hold in Jefferson<br />
County. The <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> <strong>Fish</strong> <strong>Commission</strong> stocked Cloe<br />
Lake with trout for the first time last fall <strong>and</strong> the results<br />
were excellent. An average day found twenty-five cars in<br />
the access area with more than seventy fishermen present.<br />
-District Warden JAMES F. DONAHUE (Jefferson County).<br />
MUSKY STORY REACTION<br />
• Since a recent article in Field & Stream telling of the<br />
fabulous Musky <strong>Fish</strong>ery in the Lower Susquehanna, I have<br />
received numerous letters of inquiry from people all along<br />
the Eastern seaboard. It seems people from everywhere<br />
want to get into the action <strong>and</strong> enjoy what <strong>Pennsylvania</strong>ns<br />
are now taking for granted, almost. . . .—District Warden<br />
SAMUEL W. HALL (Lancaster <strong>and</strong> Lebanon Counties).<br />
HELPFUL BASS!<br />
• The following incident was related to me by Bob Seamen<br />
of Honesdale. A Mr. <strong>and</strong> Mrs. John Kurilla, 608 East<br />
Grant Street, Olyphant were fishing at Monroe Lake in<br />
Monroe County when an overactive three pound largemouth<br />
bass jumped right into their boat. This occurred<br />
on October 7, 1967.-District Warden WALTER J. BURKHART<br />
(Monroe County).<br />
HARD TO PLEASE!<br />
• While checking deer hunters during the past season, I<br />
came across one grizzly bearded fellow along one of the<br />
trout streams here in the county. He proceeded to tell<br />
me what a fine stream it was <strong>and</strong> of the many limit catches<br />
he had taken during the past summer. He also stated that<br />
several of the fish he had caught were around twenty<br />
inches. But when I identified myself, this man's first<br />
question was, "Why can't we get more fish?"—District Warden<br />
ANTHONY MURAWSKI (Cambria County).<br />
USE ADJOINING COUNTIES<br />
• Though this district does not have any "winter fishing<br />
lakes" this headquarters gets numerous inquiries in regard<br />
to the season. A great deal of interest is generated <strong>and</strong><br />
fishermen had no difficulty in traveling to adjoining counties<br />
during the winter.-Distriet Warden RICHARD OWENS<br />
(Mifflin <strong>and</strong> Juniata Counties).<br />
GOOD DECEMBER<br />
• In my experience this past December's opening of<br />
winter trout season was enjoyed to the greatest extent. It<br />
was common to see dozens of fishermen any day. Most<br />
were rewarded by catching nice trout. Often they caught<br />
their limit of three <strong>and</strong> twenty to twenty six inchers were<br />
common with lots of trout twelve to eighteen inches<br />
being taken.-District Warden WILLIAM E. MclLNAY (Bedford<br />
<strong>and</strong> Fulton Counties).<br />
MARCH—<strong>1968</strong> 25
w i<br />
m *<br />
SAFETY fliSJ<br />
T<br />
HEM<br />
EHJOV 111 YOURSELF'<br />
lUUMStLr 1 ^<br />
POSTER CONTEST WINNER Dave Westfall of Guys Mills<br />
<strong>and</strong> Elmer Wherry, committee chairman <strong>and</strong> publicity chairman<br />
for the contest, which is sponsored annually by the northwest<br />
division of the <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs.<br />
Second place in the division went to R<strong>and</strong>y Gilson of New Casde.<br />
The contest is sponsored to promote outdoor safety.<br />
BUSY SEASON continued from page 15<br />
CARING FOR WALLEYE eggs on the incubating battery. Approximately<br />
20,000,000 walleye eggs are taken each spring with<br />
an overall hatch of about 80 percent. The eggs will hatch in<br />
approximately three weeks, when the water temperature is in<br />
the high 40's or low 50's. During this period constant care is<br />
needed to avoid silting, clumping <strong>and</strong> to siphon off the infertile<br />
eggs to avoid fungus.<br />
an extremely fertile body of water with a very high plankton<br />
production.<br />
After a week of incubation dead eggs start to appear <strong>and</strong><br />
float to the top where they are siphoned off. Careful<br />
measurements are made of the eggs left in the jar just before<br />
hatching <strong>and</strong> then these are compared with original<br />
volumes to determine percentage of hatch. This usually<br />
runs from between 70 <strong>and</strong> 90 percent under normal conditions.<br />
Incubation period varies with water temperature. Aver<br />
Retires<br />
James W. Starner,<br />
heavy construction foreman<br />
in the <strong>Pennsylvania</strong><br />
<strong>Fish</strong> <strong>Commission</strong>'s Engineering<br />
Division, has<br />
retired after 26 years<br />
service.<br />
Starner began work in 1941 at Huntsdale<br />
for the commission as a stone mason. Throughout<br />
his years with the commission he worked<br />
at times as a carpenter as well.<br />
The father of four children <strong>and</strong> gr<strong>and</strong>father<br />
of five he says he plans to spend the<br />
coming summer in California as well as some<br />
time in Florida during the winter mondis.<br />
age is twenty-one days with "eye up" occurring in ten to<br />
fifteen days. Usually water temperature is in the low 40's<br />
when incubation begins <strong>and</strong> gradually rises to the low 50's.<br />
Once hatching begins, it usually takes three days with<br />
the majority of eggs hatching on the second day. Screens<br />
are removed from the jars as soon as eggs begin to hatch<br />
<strong>and</strong> fry are allowed to go out into a supply trough <strong>and</strong><br />
then into holding tanks. When first hatched the fry are<br />
thin, nearly transparent, about three eighths of an inch<br />
long with little or no yolk sac. They swim up <strong>and</strong> feed<br />
almost immediately.<br />
Since the number of eggs taken would result in a much<br />
larger number of fry than could be maintained at this<br />
facility many of the eyed eggs are sent to other hatcheries.<br />
Immediately after hatching, a large percentage of the fry<br />
are stocked or transported to other hatcheries.<br />
The eyed eggs <strong>and</strong> fry are transported by air <strong>and</strong> truck<br />
in 12 inch by 12 inch plastic bags with one quart of water<br />
for every quart of eggs. Oxygen is provided when the bags<br />
are inflated <strong>and</strong> sealed. Fry are shipped the same way<br />
using two quarts of water for every 25,000.<br />
Fry which are held start feeding on zooplankton almost<br />
immediately <strong>and</strong> are soon transferred from holding tanks<br />
to previously prepared rearing ponds which have been<br />
fertilized <strong>and</strong> started with daphnia.<br />
As the daphnia are eaten a new supply is stocked from<br />
specially prepared daphnia rearing units <strong>and</strong> from Pymatuning<br />
Lake. Daphnia must be kept in constant supply or<br />
the fry will turn to cannibalism. Two day old fry have been<br />
observed in a chain effect head to tail when a proper food<br />
supply was not available.<br />
Fry are held in rearing ponds approximately five weeks<br />
until early June or until water temperature reaches 70<br />
degrees. By then they'll be between two <strong>and</strong> three inches<br />
long <strong>and</strong> are ready to be stocked.<br />
26 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER
FALSE SALMON EGG FEAST?<br />
by Courtney Gustafson<br />
SEVERAL FISHERMEN HAVE WRITTEN to the<br />
<strong>Pennsylvania</strong> <strong>Fish</strong> <strong>Commission</strong> to find out whether or<br />
not artificial salmon eggs can be digested by trout. To<br />
answer the questions a test was recently conducted at<br />
the Benner Spring <strong>Fish</strong> Research Station to see if these<br />
artificial eggs had any ill effects on trout.<br />
A rainbow trout was presented 9 salmon eggs which<br />
it ate rapidly on the first day. The next day the fish<br />
refused to eat any more of the eggs. It also did the<br />
same on the third day.<br />
At this time the fish was anesthetized <strong>and</strong> dissected.<br />
The upper photograph shows the salmon eggs as they<br />
were found in the stomach. The lower photograph reveals<br />
various stages of the eggs removed from the intestinal<br />
tract. The egg lettered A was an original egg<br />
that was not ingested by the trout. The egg lettered B<br />
was found in the stomach of the trout while egg lettered<br />
C was located in the anterior intestine. The egg<br />
lettered D was found near the end of the intestine.<br />
Apparently, artificial salmon eggs can be broken<br />
down by trout without any ill effects. However, this is<br />
an extremely limited experiment <strong>and</strong> more work<br />
should be done before any definite statements can be<br />
made.<br />
PULLMAN continued from page 17<br />
MUDDY CREEK FORK, loading point for trout to be stocked<br />
in Muddy Creek.<br />
MARCH—<strong>1968</strong><br />
While this is all going on, the other two trucks are not<br />
sitting idle. The second truck is stocking the stream between<br />
Bridgeton <strong>and</strong> Woodbine, a distance of not quite a<br />
mile, but it is the only area accessable by hard road. Then<br />
the truck will wait at Woodbine for the train to unload<br />
the rest of its fish. The third truck continues down 74 to<br />
where it crosses Muddy Creek, near Delta. There they<br />
stock downstream as far as an old county bridge, utilizing<br />
another unique method of trout stocking—the float box.<br />
It's not the easiest way to stock trout, but it does do a good<br />
job. The third truck must then backtrack north on 74<br />
where it continues into the Castle Fin Dam area. Here<br />
the truck will meet the train later that afternoon to unload<br />
the balance.<br />
All the while the little train with its live cargo, continues<br />
to clack along Muddy Creek stocking, running for<br />
more fish, changing water, <strong>and</strong> starting all over again.<br />
Hard work? Yes! But its also a lot of fun <strong>and</strong> each bucket<br />
of trout that finds a new home in Muddy Creek owes that<br />
litde train <strong>and</strong> the sportsmen who help a lot.<br />
Its a long day's work but the trout have been stocked<br />
over some 15 miles of stream <strong>and</strong> many won't be caught<br />
until some anglers do some hiking to catch them.<br />
All because of a little train <strong>and</strong> a lot of cooperation.<br />
27
LEAKY BOOTS<br />
continued from page 3<br />
burg Sportsmen's Association, Inc., of Mercersburg after<br />
dedication ceremonies of the Earl L. Peck Memorial Lake<br />
<strong>and</strong> the T. M. (Mac) Sironen Nursery.<br />
B. Frank Kulp, Secretary<br />
<strong>Fish</strong> Committee<br />
Mercersburg Sportsmen's Association<br />
SCHOOL'S OUT?<br />
Gentlemen,<br />
I didn't see Ned Smith's monthly column "School's Out"<br />
in your January issue of the Angler.<br />
I do hope you don't intend to drop this monthly feature<br />
from your magazine as I feel it is one of the highlights of<br />
the Angler.<br />
Enclosed is my renewal check for another year of your<br />
very good magazine.<br />
Lee Lashley, Warfordsburg<br />
We sure don't intend to drop "School's Out" by Ned<br />
Smith! But Mr. Smith is, as you may know, one of the top<br />
wildlife artists in the country <strong>and</strong> this winter his workload<br />
became so heavy he just couldn't get everything done.<br />
He's promised to bring "School's Out" back as soon as the<br />
pressure lets up, although he says it may have to be on an<br />
every other month basis.<br />
WANTS COVER STORIES<br />
Gentlemen,<br />
I have been subscribing to your magazine for only a few<br />
months <strong>and</strong> I already find it very enjoyable but I think<br />
you should follow up the pictures on the cover with an<br />
article about it inside. It is very annoying to find a picture<br />
on the cover of a man ice fishing <strong>and</strong> then find that the<br />
closest thing to an article about ice fishing is how to make<br />
an ice fishing rod, I sincerely hope you will try to remedy<br />
this situation. „ , ... . _, „ , . , ,<br />
Stephen Kozak, Philadelphia<br />
We agree! And if you noticed last month your February<br />
issue had a cover showing a sportsmen's show <strong>and</strong> an in<br />
RETIRES . . .<br />
John S. Ogden of York has retired from the <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> <strong>Fish</strong> <strong>Commission</strong><br />
after 25 years of service.<br />
Ogden served the <strong>Commission</strong> in several capacities. Starting in 1942, he<br />
worked as a district warden until 1950 when he was appointed district supervisor<br />
of 14 counties in Southeastern part of the state. In 1964 he transferred<br />
from the Law Enforcement Division to the Public Relations Division of the<br />
<strong>Commission</strong>.<br />
As a member of the Public Relations staff he worked throughout the state<br />
contacting news media, writers, schools, <strong>and</strong> <strong>Commission</strong> Rlue Book Agents.<br />
An information specialist he presented available programs <strong>and</strong> introduced<br />
new services available from the <strong>Commission</strong>.<br />
Upon retiring Ogden said he first planned to "see some of the country." He<br />
expects to make York County his retirement headquarters.<br />
side story about sportsmen's shows. This month sucker<br />
fishermen provided the basis for a cover—<strong>and</strong> pages 4, 5,<br />
<strong>and</strong> 6 are all about spring sucker fishing. Next month the<br />
trout gets the nod inside <strong>and</strong> out.<br />
And with any luck from now on you'll seldom see a<br />
cover that isn't tied to an inside story.<br />
MONONGAHELA CATFISH<br />
Gentlemen,<br />
I would like to know what is being done <strong>and</strong> what can<br />
be done to clean the streams <strong>and</strong> rivers of <strong>Pennsylvania</strong>.<br />
I live in Westmorel<strong>and</strong> County, close to Fayette County.<br />
The Monongahela River flows about % a mile from my<br />
house. This <strong>and</strong> many other streams that would be great<br />
for fishing are polluted.<br />
However, the Monongahela River has been producing<br />
catfish. This is a great improvement. If it continues we<br />
may be able to walk to good fishing spots.<br />
Joe Luzanski, Westmorel<strong>and</strong> County<br />
We can state, generally, that there is more emphasis<br />
today on the clean streams program in <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> than<br />
ever before <strong>and</strong> certainly monies available from both federal<br />
<strong>and</strong> state sources will contribute significantly toward<br />
a cleanup program. Also, several state agencies are conducting<br />
research projects to determine the best methods of<br />
abating or neutralizing certain types of pollutants.<br />
TROPHY CATCH?<br />
Gentlemen:<br />
I thought you might find the following story amusing.<br />
While fishing with my father on Christmas Day at<br />
<strong>Pennsylvania</strong>'s muskie hot spot, Brunner Isl<strong>and</strong> on the<br />
Susquehanna, I watched <strong>and</strong> chuckled to myself as he<br />
got hung up soon after making a cast. After much manipulation,<br />
he worked about a bushel of leaves, twigs, <strong>and</strong><br />
assorted debris to shore as I jokingly congratulated him on<br />
l<strong>and</strong>ing a Junker.<br />
He got a lunker all right—59 inches worth! That was<br />
the combined length of the 14 lures he found in his<br />
"Christmas present."<br />
Ned A. Voss, Lansdowne<br />
28 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER
"FISHING FATHER"<br />
HONORED BY HOUSE<br />
The "<strong>Fish</strong>ing Father," Reverend Lawrence Zakrevsky<br />
of Edwardsville, has been recognized by <strong>Pennsylvania</strong>'s<br />
House of Representatives.<br />
Following a story about Father Zakrevsky <strong>and</strong> his lifelong<br />
hobby of fishing <strong>and</strong> collecting lures in the December<br />
issue of <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> Angler the House passed a resolution<br />
honoring the senior resident.<br />
The resolution states in full:<br />
"The Reverend Lawrence Zakrevsky of Edwardsville,<br />
Luzerne County, <strong>and</strong> pastor of St. Vladimir's Ukrainian<br />
Greek Catholic Church was the subject recently of a feature<br />
NEW 3-D STREAMER<br />
THE BLOND<br />
BOMBER Figure<br />
Figure 1—The tail, a wisp of<br />
barred wood duck.<br />
Figure 2—The body, colored<br />
floss with gold tinsel.<br />
MARCH —1 968<br />
by PAUL CLARK<br />
Three-D used to st<strong>and</strong> for a special sort of<br />
movie but now it can perhaps be applied to<br />
three discoveries in streamer fly tying. Put<br />
them together into one streamer <strong>and</strong> you have<br />
one of the best imitations of a minnow ever<br />
tied.<br />
First dye some badger hair blond—use<br />
women's color tint <strong>and</strong> make it a good golden<br />
blond.<br />
Second use some maribou in the middle—<br />
moisten the normal amount of badger hair for<br />
a streamer <strong>and</strong> then split it, putting the wet<br />
piece of maribou in the middle extending it a<br />
quarter of an inch beyond the badger hair.<br />
Third go to work on the head—take a small<br />
bottle of airplane dope, leave the lid off until<br />
it becomes puttylike, then apply a small<br />
amount on the head <strong>and</strong> mold it to suit. Paint<br />
it white with black dots for eyes.<br />
Figures one through five show the steps<br />
necessary for tying this "Blond Bomber."<br />
article in the <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> Angler.<br />
"Born 84 years ago in Aisian Russia, Father Zakrevsky<br />
has been an enthusiastic fisherman for more than fifty years<br />
<strong>and</strong> has accumulated one of the largest private collections<br />
of lures <strong>and</strong> artificial bait in the entire country.<br />
"Father Zakrevsky is a kind, gentle man who is loved <strong>and</strong><br />
respected not only by his parishioners, but by the entire<br />
community which he has served these many years with<br />
great devotion; therefore be it<br />
"RESOLVED, That the Members of the House of Representatives<br />
of the Commonwealth of <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> pause<br />
in their deliberations to pay tribute to Father Lawrence<br />
Zakrevsky, a fine churchman, citizen <strong>and</strong> sportsman <strong>and</strong><br />
wish him well in the future; <strong>and</strong> be it further<br />
"RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be sent to<br />
Father Zakrevsky."<br />
3—Body completed, tinsel<br />
ribbed over floss.<br />
Figure 4—The wing, badger tail<br />
dyed blond split into equal<br />
pieces <strong>and</strong> a piece of white<br />
maribou in the middle.<br />
Figure 5—The head, puttylike<br />
airplane dope white with black<br />
eyes.<br />
29
A FISHIMG FEATURE FOR FISHERMEN FROM FISWEBMEU<br />
THOMAS ARCHAMBEAU holds 28%<br />
inch, 12% pound rainbow that won him<br />
a <strong>Fish</strong>ing Citation. The Shippensburg<br />
angler was fishing Letterkenny Dam in<br />
Franklin County.<br />
PHOTOGRAPHER Edward<br />
T. Gray of Meadville. He's<br />
holding a 45 inch, 35 pound<br />
musky caught in French Creek.<br />
He had no net or gaff <strong>and</strong> had<br />
to flag a passing hunter—Earl<br />
Jones of Miller Station—to<br />
help l<strong>and</strong> the Citation winner.<br />
It also qualified him for membership<br />
in <strong>Pennsylvania</strong>'s<br />
Husky Musky Club, (photo<br />
courtesy of the Meadville<br />
Tribune)<br />
PETER CHAPLA, Old Forge,<br />
<strong>and</strong> sons hold stringer of pickerel<br />
<strong>and</strong> perch caught at Duck<br />
Harbor. The pickerel were 17<br />
to 19 inches <strong>and</strong> both boys<br />
won Junior <strong>Fish</strong>ing Citations.<br />
GERALD STEMPLE of Mechanicsburg<br />
holds 21 inch, 5 pound smallmouth bass<br />
he caught from the Susquehanna River<br />
near Harrisburg. He says it's one of<br />
"many" he catches there. It hit a rebel<br />
plug.<br />
HUSKY MUSKY<br />
honorable mention<br />
went to Ronald<br />
Scala of Wampum<br />
for this nice 37%<br />
inch, 16 pound muskellunge.<br />
He was<br />
fishing at Tionesta<br />
when he caught it<br />
EDWARD CISLO JR. with two pickerel<br />
he pulled from the Lehigh River last<br />
August. A recent Angler subscriber, he<br />
says he's "really hooked." The fish<br />
measured 18 <strong>and</strong> 19% inches.<br />
30 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER
ANN MICHELE proves the girls can<br />
catch fish too. She's holding a stringer<br />
of rainbows which she <strong>and</strong> her dad<br />
caught during the winter season at Bear<br />
Creek Reservoir. She's a first year high<br />
school student <strong>and</strong> has been fishing<br />
since she was seven.<br />
•K;<br />
GEORGE WALTERS of Berlin holds 16 pound, 42 inch muskellunge<br />
he caught while fishing Lake Somerset. He says it hit a<br />
black <strong>and</strong> silver rapala <strong>and</strong> he claims there are plenty more "big<br />
ones" in the lake.<br />
Some of the pictures mailed to <strong>Fish</strong> Tales lack complete<br />
return address <strong>and</strong> complete information about the catch.<br />
Always be sure that marked on the back of the photograph<br />
you have your name, complete address including zip code,<br />
as well as species, size (length <strong>and</strong> weight), where caught,<br />
date, <strong>and</strong> type of tackle used.<br />
Caught a big one? Send your picture with your catch to<br />
<strong>Fish</strong> Tales, <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> Angler, <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> <strong>Fish</strong> <strong>Commission</strong>,<br />
Harrisburg, <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> 17120.<br />
JUNIATA MUSKELLUNGE was caught<br />
by Stephen Muich of Johnstown on November<br />
25. A check of the 36 inch, 11<br />
Pound fish by biologist Jack Miller indicated<br />
it was just over two years old.<br />
It had grown from 29.8 inches since last<br />
spring.<br />
M A R C H — i 968<br />
MECHANICSBURG ANGLER Dennis<br />
C. Devine holds smallmouth bass which<br />
measured 20% inches <strong>and</strong> weighed 4<br />
lbs., 15 ounces <strong>and</strong> won him a <strong>Pennsylvania</strong><br />
Angler <strong>Fish</strong>ing Citation. He<br />
caught it from the Susquehanna at<br />
Marysville on a live minnow.<br />
FISHERWOMAN MRS. ALBERT BAUER JR. of Erie holds<br />
muskellunge she caught while fishing Presque Isle Bay. The lady<br />
angler hooked the 42% inch, 17% pound beauty while trolling a<br />
"vamp spook" in the bay. Some credit may go to husb<strong>and</strong>—he was<br />
operating the boat.<br />
EDWARD WEISSE AND ROLAND BERGNER with stringers of<br />
trout they caught while fishing Deep Creek in Hegins, Schuylkill<br />
County on an opening day. Bergner says he <strong>and</strong> his uncle, Weisse,<br />
have taken their limit each year during the first couple of hours.<br />
*w u<br />
RIDGWAY RESERVOIR produced this<br />
26 inch, 5M> pound rainbow trout for<br />
angler Edwin Eckert of Ridgway. He<br />
was fishing the reservoir during the<br />
winter season on December 17 when he<br />
hit the fish on a pearled minnow.<br />
31
A Monthly Feature About Cooperative Nursery Projects By Bill PortBP<br />
A HAPPY MARRIAGE OF A PHILANTHROPIST, a<br />
benevolent city government <strong>and</strong> three fishing clubs combine<br />
to form the Lil-Le-Hi Nursery, truly one of the show<br />
places of the cooperative nursery program—<strong>and</strong> it's no<br />
wonder.<br />
To begin with, the hatchery itself has had a long history<br />
as a commercial enterprise as part of the Trexler holdings.<br />
Some firsts in fish culture for the state occurred there,<br />
according to some fine reminiscences from Guy "Foxy"<br />
Moyer, a 44-year retired veteran of the <strong>Fish</strong> <strong>Commission</strong><br />
who accompanied us to Allentown. For one thing, the<br />
hatchery at one time raised salmon—incidentally, there<br />
were a few of the silver kings in one of the show ponds for<br />
visitors to ogle. A federal carp rearing program was part<br />
of the operation a good many years ago before it was<br />
ab<strong>and</strong>oned <strong>and</strong> the state had an interest in the hatchery at<br />
one time. Finally the <strong>Fish</strong> <strong>Commission</strong>, a decade or so<br />
ago, received brook trout eggs from the hatchery in exchange<br />
for other eggs or species.<br />
But getting back to the present arrangement, the city of<br />
Allentown inherited the property along with much additional<br />
acreage from the Trexler estate. Picking up the ball,<br />
the city fathers now employ a full time nursery caretaker,<br />
Ernie Massini, to look after things <strong>and</strong> work with the cooperating<br />
clubs. And Ernie does just that as verified by<br />
the well-manicured lawns <strong>and</strong> l<strong>and</strong>scaping, the healthy<br />
trout in the holding ponds, <strong>and</strong> the extremely low mortality<br />
rate as attested by the records.<br />
But Ernie doesn't do it all. Three cooperating fishing<br />
clubs, referred to above, have combined their efforts <strong>and</strong><br />
interests in the project. The Lehigh County <strong>Fish</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
Game, The Pioneer <strong>Fish</strong> <strong>and</strong> Game, <strong>and</strong> the Trout Creek<br />
<strong>Fish</strong> <strong>and</strong> Game work together on the cooperative nursery<br />
activities.<br />
One of the key men coming out of this triumvirate is<br />
Ken Crilley, a very active nursery manager <strong>and</strong> our host<br />
along with Ernie for the day. Ken seemed pleased with<br />
the project <strong>and</strong> its product. His experienced eye roved<br />
over a batch of three-year-old rainbows with the fondness<br />
of a man who has a liking <strong>and</strong> a knowledge of his work.<br />
Then he <strong>and</strong> "Foxy" were off on some mutual nostalgia<br />
that would fill a book in its own way that would be of<br />
value to the fish culturist <strong>and</strong> the naturalist.<br />
In the meantime Joe Samusevich, well-known local<br />
angler, picked up the story of the Lil-Le-Hi Nursery. "We<br />
stock nothing but older fish—two, three, <strong>and</strong> four year<br />
olds," he said with a grin of pride. "Last year there were<br />
about 18,000 stocked with the bulk of them going into<br />
the Little Lehigh Creek. The others go into Cedar Creek<br />
<strong>and</strong> Jordan Creek."<br />
"We're holding about 45,000 right now," chimed in<br />
Ernie. "Care to see them?" We cared <strong>and</strong> we saw. Big<br />
JOE SAMUSEVICH, an unidentified club member, <strong>and</strong> Ernie<br />
Massini, nursery supervisor, stop in front of sign at Lil-Le-Hi<br />
Trout Nursery.<br />
browns <strong>and</strong> big rainbows <strong>and</strong> nice brooks were all there.<br />
The cement raceways <strong>and</strong> ponds were neatly painted,<br />
water temperature <strong>and</strong> quality was good; the whole nursery<br />
smelled of success.<br />
"We get thous<strong>and</strong>s of visitors every year," Ernie was<br />
doing the talking, "<strong>and</strong> most help support the project;"<br />
<strong>and</strong> he pointed to a wishing well where visitors could deposit<br />
a donation <strong>and</strong> receive a bag of pellets to feed the<br />
trout. "It's a little late in the season <strong>and</strong> pretty cold today<br />
for people to stop, but there'll be some." And on cue, two<br />
cars pulled into the parking area <strong>and</strong> a h<strong>and</strong>ful of tourists<br />
began to make the rounds.<br />
A variety of projects feature the Lil-Le-Hi Nursery each ><br />
year. The Litde Lehigh Creek, at least a portion of it near<br />
the nursery, is a fish-for-fun area <strong>and</strong> is supplied with trout<br />
throughout the year. "There's always someone wetting a<br />
line," said Ernie, "even cold blustery days such as this<br />
one." And again on cue, a couple of fly fishermen moved<br />
in <strong>and</strong> began to work a pool at the lower end of the<br />
nursery grounds. The trout were there but uncooperative<br />
<strong>and</strong> so it was back to the discussion of other projects.<br />
Outst<strong>and</strong>ing among the various activities are the fishing<br />
derbies held each year. Thous<strong>and</strong>s of anglers line the banks<br />
of the Little Lehigh as it wends its way through the public<br />
parks system; many thous<strong>and</strong>s more simply come to<br />
watch. <strong>Fish</strong> are caught, lost, measured, kept, released;<br />
prizes are awarded <strong>and</strong> sad <strong>and</strong> glad tales are told at the<br />
end of the day. And it's all made possible through the<br />
cooperative effort of a lot of people organized under the I<br />
heading of the Lil-Le-Hi Nursery who are dedicated to<br />
the premise that a lot of people can have a lot of fun<br />
Casting with the Co-ops.<br />
32 PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER<br />
I
CATCH A TROPHY<br />
FISH AND RECEIVE<br />
A PENNSYLVANIA<br />
ANGLER<br />
FISHING<br />
CITATION<br />
MINIMUM SIZES—RULES<br />
SENIOR:<br />
Species of<br />
<strong>Fish</strong><br />
Minimum Length<br />
in inches<br />
American Shad 25 in.<br />
Bluegill 11 in.<br />
Brook Trout 17 in.<br />
Brown Trout 28 in.<br />
Bullhead 15 in.<br />
Carp 36 in.<br />
Chain Pickerel 25 in.<br />
Channel Catfish 30 in.<br />
Crappies (includes black<br />
<strong>and</strong> white) 15 in.<br />
Eel 40 in.<br />
JUNIOR:<br />
Species of<br />
<strong>Fish</strong><br />
Minimum Length<br />
in inches<br />
American Shad 20 in.<br />
Bluegill 10 in.<br />
Brook Trout 14 in.<br />
Brown Trout 18 in.<br />
Bullhead, Catfish 14 in.<br />
Carp 25 in.<br />
Chain Pickerel 23 in.<br />
Channel Catfish<br />
Crappies (includes black<br />
20 in.<br />
<strong>and</strong> white) 14 in.<br />
Eel 30 in.<br />
Species of Minimum Length<br />
<strong>Fish</strong> in inches<br />
Fallfish 18 in.<br />
Lake Trout 30 in.<br />
Largemouth Bass 23 in.<br />
Muskellunge 45 in.<br />
Northern Pike 36 in.<br />
Rainbow Trout 27 in.<br />
Rock Bass 11 in.<br />
Smallmouth Bass 20 in.<br />
Walleye 30 in.<br />
Yellow Perch 14 in.<br />
Species of Minimum Length<br />
<strong>Fish</strong> in inches<br />
Fallfish 14 in.<br />
Lake Trout 24 in.<br />
Largemouth Bass 18 in.<br />
Muskellunge 30 in.<br />
Northern Pike 25 in.<br />
Rainbow Trout 18 in.<br />
Rock Bass 10 in.<br />
Sheepshead 20 in.<br />
Smallmouth Bass 18 in.<br />
Walleye 22 in.<br />
Yellow Perch 12 in.<br />
<strong>Fish</strong> must be caught in <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> public<br />
waters by legal methods during seasons open for<br />
the taking of the species involved.<br />
<strong>Fish</strong> must be measured, weighed <strong>and</strong> recorded<br />
by fishing license issuing agent or tackle store<br />
within the state by the owner, manager, or an<br />
authorized agent of the respective establishment.<br />
Photographs are desirable as further proof of<br />
catch but are not required.<br />
Non-residents as well as residents are eligible for<br />
citations if fish are caught under the above conditions.<br />
Only fishing citation applications received within<br />
90 days from date of catch will be honored.<br />
HOW TO MEASURE<br />
Actual applications for a Citation may be secured by contacting any district fish warden,<br />
regional office of the <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> <strong>Fish</strong> <strong>Commission</strong>, or by writing the Public<br />
Relations Division of the <strong>Commission</strong> in Harrisburg (Zip Code 17120). Application<br />
blanks are also carried from time to time in the Angler.
Looking for excitement? Find it in <strong>Pennsylvania</strong>'s wonderful world of water by enjoying fishing<br />
<strong>and</strong> boating—<strong>and</strong> keep on top of what's going on by reading all about it every month in<br />
<strong>Pennsylvania</strong>'s official fishing <strong>and</strong> boating magazine, <strong>Pennsylvania</strong> Angler.<br />
You'll see exciting stories about stocking, boating trips, fishing <strong>and</strong> boating events—everything<br />
that's "What's Happening" in these exciting activities in the Keystone State.<br />
And if you're already a reader, do a friend a favor. Buy him (or her) a subscription!<br />
SIGN ME UP FOR THE PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER!<br />
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STREET<br />
TOWN ZIP<br />
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